On the other hand
by LoonyMoony1396
Summary: "Hm…This one could be many…Ravenclaw for her wit. Gryffindor for her bravery….or yes that's it! SLYTHERIN!" The sorting hat yelled. Hermione was frozen as cheers erupted from the Slytherin table. Dramione! REVIEW! A little OOC...
1. Slytherin

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters. They all belong to the beloved J.K Rowling.

A small bushy haired girl was walking through the train and trying to find a compartment that she could sit in. It has been awhile since she started looking and most of the seats had filled up in this time, mainly by the older students. Finally she found one that was mostly empty except for the lone boy in it. He was a little bigger but with a good build and dark hair, oh and he was holding what looked to be a toad.

"I'm Hermione Granger, would you mind if I sat here with you?" She asked holding her head high in case he said no. She was a very proud child that looked down to no one and never let anyone tell her what to do.

"Come on in and sit, only me and Trevor here. I'm Neville by the way." Neville said smiling and loosing his attention on Trevor, the toad took that opportunity to jump from his lap and out the still open door that Hermione was standing in.

"Trevor!" Neville yelled, hastily scrambling up from his seat. In his hurry to get off of his seat he tripped and ended up on the compartment floor with Hermione in the doorway giggling. His shocked expression sent Hermione into another fit of giggles. His face went red at his predicament, still on the floor.

"Well Neville I'll help you get Trevor if you'd like me to." Hermione said smiling and holding out her hand to help him up.

"Thank you." Neville said using the seat beside him instead of Hermione's hand. She just shrugged and went out into the hallway so that Neville could join her.

"I'll go this way." She said heading off towards the left. She started knocking on people's doors and asking them if they had seen a toad come by. No one had said yes so far. Her last compartment she came upon five people. There was two big guys who had very blank expressions as if they had no thoughts of their own, a black haired boy that looked very handsome with his curlyish hair, a girl with a pinched up face and short black hair that framed said face, and a blonde haired boy.

This blonde boy looked beautiful. His hair was a white blonde that shown, even in the horrible lighting of the train. But it was his silvery gray eyes that drew Hermione in most, she felt as if she could get lost in them forever.

"And what do you want here?" The girl asked in an annoying voice that irritated Hermione to no end.

"Have you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one." Hermione said defiantly.

"Now tell me, why would we tell you?" The dark haired boy who was handsome asked.

"It was a civil enough question that could have been answered with a simple yes or no." Hermione snapped at him, leaving him with a shocked expression. The blonde boy laughed and Hermione turned her head towards him.

"Who are you?" The blonde asked, amusement coloring his face and tone.

"Hermione Granger. And you?" Hermione said with her eyes flashing, tempting him to say something about it. But he just smirked as if she should know.

"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." He said it like it meant the world when it meant nothing to Hermione.

"Should that mean something to me?" Draco looked surprised but then hid it.

"Of course! Everyone knows who Draky is!" The girl said shocked.

"Pansy it doesn't matter to me if she knows who I am or not." He said in an irritated voice.

"Well I should probably get going." Hermione hinted to get out of the rapidly tensing compartment.

"No wait. Would you like to sit with us?" He asked with a smile. That smile almost melted Hermione; it was so soft, just like butter.

"Sorry but I can't. I'm helping Neville with his toad predicament." Draco's face fell ever so slightly but nodded in understanding. Hermione turned to leave but Draco's voice stopped her.

"And Hermione I was just wondering. What is your status?"

"Status?" She asked confused.

"Blood status." Realization dawned on her as he said that, he must be a pureblood.

"Does it matter?" She asked avoiding the question. She had just recently found out that she was a pureblood also, actually it was when she got her Hogwarts letter. But she could have lived forever not knowing it, she would have been just as happy thinking herself to be a muggle-born like she should have been. She learned that her parents died two years after she was born and she was put into foster care. From there her 'parents' adopted her as their own. A Granger.

"Lots." He said. It weighed Hermione down like a brick so she avoided it again.

"You'll just have to find out for yourself Draco." Hermione said and left before he could say anymore to her. She left a whole compartment of shocked faces behind her.

Hermione walked back to the compartment that she shared with Neville but now there were new people, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley that she had met earlier and two new red heads, twins by the looks of it.

"Hello everyone. Sorry Neville but I couldn't find Trevor. Have you had any luck?" She said as sat next to one of the twins at the window. "Who are you lot?" Hermione asked the twins.

"Gred and Feorge." Gred said smiling. Ronald scoffed.

"The one who just called himself Gred is Fred and the other one is George." Ron said and stuck a chocolate frog in his mouth.

"Pleasure." She said to the twins.

"So Harry what house do you think you'll be sorted into?" Ron asked.

"House?" He asked back confused.

"Your Hogwarts house." Ron said exasperated.

"We're in our 2nd year Gryffindor." George said smiling.

"What houses are there?" Harry asked.

"Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and Slytherin." Hermione said. She had read it in _Hogwarts A History_.

"You don't want to be a Slytherin mate." Ron, Fred, and George all said at once.

"I think that I'd be a good Hufflepuff." Neville said quietly to Hermione.

"Well I'll be a Gryffindor. M'whole families been." Ron said while Fred and George rolled their eyes.

"I guess I'd like to be a Gryffindor." Harry said.

"Well I think that Ravenclaw would be the most productive. Brains over brawn gentlemen." Hermione said smiling.

"But then you have to do all that…work." George said.

"At least you have a house that will prove its brains." She replied back.

"But Gryffindor shows its bravery." Fred countered.

"Look at that." Neville said ending our dispute. We all looked out of the window to see a huge castle in front of us.

"Wow." Harry said softly.

"I have to get my robes on!" Hermione said franticly grabbing her trunk and effectively clunking it on Ron's head. "Oh sorry!" She did a spell that stopped the bleeding but not the swelling that happened because of it.

"Where did you learn magic like that as a 1st year?" Fred asked.

"I read books." She said simply rummaging through her trunk for her robes. She found them and walked out of the compartment and into a now empty one. She locked the door and changed into her Hogwarts robes.

A few minutes later she walked back to her compartment and knocked. The door clicked unlocked and she let herself in. They were all dressed in their robes and ready for the school. They got off the train together than Fred and George left them. A big person ended up in front of them.

"First years this way!" He yelled.

"Hagrid!" Harry yelled back.

"Oi Harry!" Hagrid said and gave him a hug.

"You know him?" Ron asked in an awed voice.

"Yep." Harry beamed. They all ended up in different boats as they crossed a black lake. Hermione ended up with Draco Malfoy.

"Hello Draco." Hermione said and looked away.

"Hey Hermione." He said and looked at the beautiful lake.

"I read about this." Hermione said, always the bookworm.

"Really?" He said in a bored voice, she was much more exciting earlier.

"I can't wait to be sorted." She said in an excited voice.

"What house do you think that you'll be sorted into?" He asked, maybe this would lead to what her blood status was.

"Oh I hope Ravenclaw. How about you?" She asked dreamily. The boats hit the edge of the lake and they hopped out.

"Isn't it obvious? Slytherin of course." He said proudly. Hermione nodded as the castle before her captivated her. She ended up next to a girl named Hannah as they walked into the grand castle. Everyone was talking when an older woman came out.

"Hello I'm Professor McGonagall and head of Gryffindor house. I will let you inside in a moment. When inside I will sort you into your each individual house. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin." She said and turned around back into the great doors from which she came from. Suddenly one voice was heard from among the rest.

"So it's true. Potter's come to Hogwarts." Draco said, Hermione instantly perked up at his voice and at what he was saying. Murmurs ran through the croud as they took in what he said.

"Shut it Malfoy." Ron's voice was heard.

"Weasley no doubt. Red hair, hand-me-down robes. Should have guessed that the blood traitors would have another one hidden. You manifest like rabbits," Draco said sneeringly, "I could help you Potter, keep you from making friends with the wrong sorts."

"I think that I can judge who's the right kind of friends for myself thank you." Harry said back.

"That will be quite enough. Follow me." Professor McGonagall said. The whole crowd moved as one into the beautiful doors.

Hermione was amazed at the Grand Hall. It was absolutely beautiful. The ceiling was a dark sky with bright stars on it. The crowd walked through four tables with banners above them, marking them for the house that the students who sat there were.

A old hat sat on a stool in front of them.

"This is the sorting hat. He will decide to which house you belong." Professor McGonagall said loudly.

Then all of the sudden the hat burst into song, startling Hermione. She had not read about this.

Oh,you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your tops hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.  
Y ou might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell brave of heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet wise old Ravenclaw,  
If you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folk use any means  
To achive their ends.  
So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And you won't get in a flap!  
You're safe in my hands(though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!

( A/N: I found this online and I'm not sure if this is the real song but I thought that it fit anyways.)

"I will sort you alphabetically." Professor McGonagall said. "Abbott, Hannah."

"Hufflepuff!" The sorting hat cried out. The list went slowly then it came to Hermione.

"Hm…This one could be many…Ravenclaw for her wit. Gryffindor for her bravery….or yes that's it! SLYTHERIN!" The sorting hat yelled. Hermione was frozen as cheers erupted from the Slytherin table.

This can't be happening. I can't be a Slytherin. No I won't go, Hermione thought.

"But Miss Granger that is the house you will succeed in." It said then Proffesor McGonagall took the hat off of her head and pushed her in the direction of the Slytherin table. She saw Harry's, Ron's, Fred's, George's, and Neville's shocked faces as she slowly walked to the Slytherin table. She sat down next to one of the boys that sat with Draco on the train, one of the ones with a absent stair.

"M'names Crabbe." He said.

"Hermione." She said and paid full attention to where the boys would go. Neville was already heading up to the stool.

"This one is Gryffindor!" The sorting hat yelled and cheers erupted from the Gryffindor table, just like they had with Hermione.

Soon after that Harry was making his way to the stool and the sorting hat.

"This one would do well to be in Slytherin." The sorting hat said.

"Not Slytherin you say!"

"Must be Gryffindor!" The sorting hat yelled for a final time. Hermione felt crushed, no Neville, Fred, George, Harry, and there was no hope if Ron was going to be a Slytherin, especially if he already had a reputation for being a 'blood traitor' as Draco had called him.

"Malfoy, Draco." Professor McGonagall said.

Draco went up to the stool and sat down. Te sorting hat had barely touched his head when it called out, "Slytherin!"

Draco came over and sat on Hermione's right because Crabbe was on her left.

"I see that you must be a pureblood then Hermione." He said. All she did was nod.

"What's got your hair in a knot?" Draco asked Hermione.

"I'm in Slytherin." She almost moaned. Then it dawned on her. She was alone. There was no one else there to talk to. The boys must surely hate her now that she was a Slytherin.

"Slytherin is not a bad house Hermione. It's the best." He said proudly.

"How can you be so proud of a house with such a bad reputation?" She asked getting irritated, her eyes flashing with anger. Draco got excited, this was fun on the train, it'll be twice as fun when she's even more flared up.

"My whole family has been in it. It is the most pure house. Plus the colors are nice." He said smirking. That smirk was really starting to get to Hermione.

"Who cares about purity?! Your family?! Don't talk to me about family and colors?! Who cares? That's all they are. Colors." Hermione hissed going off on him. It was the smirk that really set her off. Her temper was white hot and if Draco did anything to upset her she would probably smack that stupid grin right off his face.

"Why haven't I ever met you or your family at my parents parties?" He asked a confused look suddenly crossing his face. That was the last straw and Hermione slugged him right in the mouth.

"You should have known to leave me well alone." Hermione said and stalked off.


	2. Bad Rep

The whole Great Hall went silent at Hermione's outburst. Then the Gryffindor went up in another round of cheers for her. Everyone was laughing and having a good time now that the Slytherins had that happen at their table and not their own.

Professor Dumbledore went and told everyone what was expected of them, what was restricted, and who they would follow to get to their dorms.

Hermione was sitting on the stairs calming down, then her stomach growled. She probably would never be welcomed back to the Slytherin table after her little outburst with Draco.

Draco. Boy he should have known that she was not in the mood. Actually now that she sat down and thought about it, she thought that he enjoyed her angry outburst. She stood up and made her way back through the grand doors into the Great Hall.

She walked over to the Slytherin table and sat down next to Draco again. After all he was the only Slytherin she knew.

"What are you doing back here Granger?" Malfoy said angrily.

"You should have known not to push me after not even being put into my second choice house." She said simply. She looked around the hall and caught Ron and Harry's concerned glance. They had really started to get to know each other on the train.

"Well I'm sorry you seemed so touchy about your family." He said then blocked his face. Hermione giggled at his movement. Draco looked up in shock, he had not meant to be funny but to protect himself from an arm that he thought was coming.

"Why do you find that funny?" He asked her curiously.

"Why'd you think that I was going to hit you again?" Hermione countered.

"Because I mentioned your family."

"Oh…I thought it was funny because of the way you blocked yourself."

"So what is the deal with you and your family? Not get along? I mean they had to be great wizards, purebloods, and most likely included in the dark arts." When Draco asked Hermione looked away and found she was looking at the Gryffindor table with Neville looking back curiously. "Hermione." Draco stated pulling her attention back to him.

"Yeah?" She asked quietly.

"Tell me." She looked up into his silver eyes and knew that she could tell him without telling everyone else…but she wasn't ready to just yet.

"Sorry but I can't. We had better get going." She said quietly again. The Grand Hall was starting to empty and the prefects were leading the Slytherins to their dormitory. Draco just followed Hermione while they followed the rest of the first years to the common room.

They went down to the dungeons and the password was Nel buio. Hermione translated that into into: In the darkness. She shuddered internally, now she knew that there was no turning back., she would be a Slytherin forever. They walked into the dungeons and the common room was green. Hermione couldn't believe her eyes, how had they made the common room green?

"Wow." She said softly. Draco looked over at her face, full of wonder and smirked.

"Pretty good for a Slytherin common room, don't you think?" Her asked and Hermione just nodded.

"Ok you lot follow me, the girls." The girl prefect called out to us. We were getting shown our stuff and our dorm.

"Bye Draco, see you later." Hermione said and followed the other girls up to the dormitory. Hermione had a hard time falling asleep that night with thoughts raging around in her head.

The next morning Hermione woke up at 5:00 and was ready to go to breakfast by 6:00. Her hair was a mess around her small head and she was constantly trying to make it less frizzy but nothing seemed to be working. She was thinking about going to breakfast by herself when Draco and the handsome boy from the train came down.

"What are you doing up so early?" Draco asked.

"None of your business thank you." Hermione said annoyed that he interrupted her thinking about going to breakfast. There was no way that she was going to sit with him this morning when she had better friends at the Gryffindor table.

"Jeez don't have to be so touchy Granger." The handsome boy said.

"What is your name?" Hermione asked ignoring the snide remark.

"Blaise Zabini." He said proudly.

"Well then Zabini I would like you to keep your opinions of me to yourself." She snapped and walked out of the common room without a backwards glance at either boy.

"Slytherin….girl….Hermione…" Hermione heard a voice saying while she was in the Entrance Hall. She then matched the face with Ron.

"Hello boys." Hermione said coming up behind them making them jump. Ron glared at her while Harry gave her a smile.

"Hey Hermione."

"What do you want Slytherin?" Ron said at the same time that Harry said hey. Hermione just stared at them like they were crazy.

"Hey Harry…" Hermione said uncertainly.

"What do you want Granger?" Ron asked again stepping in front of Harry, effectively not letting Harry answer.

"What's got your knickers in a knot Ron? It's me Hermione. We talked all yesterday on the train?" She said wondering why he was acting like a prick.

"I don't talk to Slytherins. Come on Harry." Ron said and turned around. Harry looked sad.

"I got to go Hermione. Sorry." He said and walked away, leaving Hermione to stand there right next to the stairs. Hermione just stood there in shock, now she only had Neville to talk to….if he'd talk to her but judging by the fact that even Harry wouldn't she doubted that he would, and she couldn't just go up to him after what happened with Ron and Harry.

Draco came up behind her effectively making her jump in fright. She was on the verge of tears and she didn't need to around anyone right now. Especially not Draco Malfoy.

"Go away if you know what's good for you." She threatened giving him a nasty glare.

"What did I do?" Draco asked chocked by her venom.

"Just go away, or would you rather a recap of last night?" Hermione said and stormed off towards the nearest bathroom. For the next hour before classes Hermione just hid in there.

Hermione came out of the bathrooms with just enough time to make it to her first class without being late. She sat down in the only open seat left next to Draco.

"Why does it seem as if you're the only one no one likes?" Hermione whispered to him.

"I was saving you a seat thank you very much but if you would rather sit next to Blaise, Pansy can come and sit with me." He said back smirking.

"Next to Zabini? In his dreams." Hermione scoffed.

The rest of the day passed by with no more incidents, except that in every class the only chair open was the one next to either Draco or Neville. In her transfiguration class she got to sit next to Neville and sort things out with him. He knew that it wasn't her fault that she was sorted into Slytherin, but that it was more of a place that she was meant to be.

By the time dinner rolled around Hermione was exhausted. She sat down next to Crabbe again tonight for dinner. But this time instead of Draco coming and sitting next to her, Zabini did.

"Bugger off Zabini." Hermione said irritated. She really didn't like the git.

"Where's Draco?" He asked also irritated. Obviously they both didn't like to talk to each other. I mean why would they? Zabini was a obnoxious prick who didn't know when to give up.

"I would know why? Shouldn't you be the one to know." She said in a bored voice.

"Well obviously not." He scowled.

"Then if you want to know where he is you had better go look for him." Hermione snapped, grabbed her books and left.

Hermione had no idea why she was being in such a fowl mood. Actually she did, it was being sorted into the wrong house, the only house that she absolutely despised.

With all of Hermione's daydreaming she wasn't paying attention to what she was doing and ran into someone. The only thing she saw was a flash of red hair. Ron.

"Watch where your going Granger." Ron said acidly.

"What is your problem with me all of the sudden?! It's not even my fault that I was sorted into this stupid house!" Hermione busted, all of her anger rushing out at him. She didn't care if she should be nicer and more proving of a point, she just wanted him to understand and quit making her friends stay away from her.

"Stupid Slytherin doesn't even know why she's a problem." Ron snickered and walked away. There was something in the way that he said that that set her off completely.

"You stupid bloody WEASEL!" Hermione screamed at him as she caught his arm. She could feel her fingers digging into his arm but he didn't flinch.

"Let me go Granger." Weasel said dangerously. Hermione laughed in his face, and shock replaced the dangerous look that he was just wearing.

"You don't threaten me Weasel. Nothing can ever threaten me again." She said and slapped his arm for good measure. She had no idea what was bringing out her vicious side, usually she was just a quiet book-worm. She walked away before she did anymore harm and left a flabbergasted Weasel behind her.

*-*-*

October 31st

_-_-_

"But Hermione!" Pansy wailed making her irritating voice that much more irritating.

"Pansy I will not, for the last time mind you, ask Draco out for you." Hermione said letting her irritation show. Hermione now had a reputation for being one bad Slytherin witch; from which she had gotten from not letting anyone mess with her…and the fact that she had a tendency to show how violent she could be.

"But Hermione PLEASE!" Pansy begged. Hermione's temper flared.

"I'm not going to ask Draco out for you! Now shut-up before I hex your arse!" Hermione said turning around in her temper before she did anything that she'd regret.

"Fine I'll just ask him myself!" Pansy pouted.

"Have you ever thought that maybe if you stopped flirting so bad he'd ask you out? Because he obviously knows you're interested in." Hermione said before she could stop herself. Pansy seemed to consider this and then she beamed.

"You're brilliant. Bloody brilliant Hermione." Pansy said and walked off, probably devising a plan.

"What was that all about?" Draco said as he came up behind her. Speak of the devil, Hermione thought.

"Nothing that concerns you Draco." Hermione said in a bored voice.

"Pansy's voice getting to you?" He smirked.

"So what if it is?" She snapped and Draco put his hands up in mock surrender.

"Oh nothing, I just know that sometimes it gets annoying." Draco said and Hermione laughed. They had become friends in the last month as Ron had brought both Harry and Neville away from her and she was left friendless.

"That's an exaggeration." Hermione giggled, then she looked at the forgotten book in her lap. She hadn't been able to read her books in a long time, and this one was her favorite, 'Arrows of the Queen' by Mercedes Lackey. It was a muggle book that Hermione had gotten for her 11th birthday. She sighed knowing that she wouldn't be able to read it now it was almost dinnertime.

"Want to go walk around the grounds until dinner?" Hermione asked, if she couldn't read her book she at least wanted to get some fresh air.

"Sure, that sounds good." He said. Hermione stood up and they went out of the portrait whole together.

The two walked around near the lake, doing a lot of nothing if you had asked Hermione until they were certain that it was almost dinnertime. Then they walked into the Great Hall for dinner, they were right on time. Most of the Ravenclaws, some of the Hufflepuffs, and almost none of the Slytherins or Gryffindors were there. They sat down near their normal spots and waited until The rest of the Slytherins had come.

Suddenly Hermione saw Pansy and Blaise. That was normal by itself but then she saw that they were holding hands. Hermione let in a shocked breath and Draco's eyes followed to where Hermione was already looking.

"Wow, never knew that Blaise liked Pansy or the other way around." Draco mused with a frown forming.

"Who would have thought." Hermione almost whispered. Everyone was in the great hall now and they were waiting for Professor Dumbledore to stand up and say a speech but instead the doors were thrown open to show their DADA (Defense Against the Dark Arts) teacher. He looked exhausted and clearly worn.

"TROLL! Troll! In the dungeons." He yelled and no one reacted, they were all shocked that there was a troll in Hogwarts. "I thought you ought to know." He said normally then fell to the floor in a dead faint.

The whole room went beserk, no one knew what was going on-then there was Dumbledore's voice above the sudden breakout.

"Students will follow their house prefects to the grounds." Everyone's heads snapped towards their house prefects.

"Follow us." They said. Hermione grabbed Draco's arm. She was absolutely terrified. Draco just looked stricken and Pansy was holding on to Blaise's arm for dear life.

"Come on guys." Hermione said and pulled Draco's arm with her as she made her way towards prefects. Pansy looked at her arm and gave Hermione a glare before following. She's using Blaise, Hermione thought suddenly. She stopped and Draco ran into her, effectively pushing her to the ground almost getting her trampled by the onslaught of students.

Hufflepuff almost ran over him. They grabbed onto eachother and hefted each other up from the ground. They started to run again trying to catch up with Pansy and Blaise who had run up ahead. This time Hermione didn't hold on to Draco's arm for fear that she would get knocked down again.

They all made it out onto the grounds safely.

"What is your problem Pansy!" Hermione yelled at the girl when she saw her again. Her temper was fueled with shock and hurt. She couldn't believe that Pansy would do that to Blaise, especially since he was one of her best friends.

"What did I do Granger?" Pansy hissed still holding Blaise's hand tightly in her own.

"You know full well what you're doing Parkinson!" Hermione said still yelling. Draco and Blaise both had bewildered expressions on their faces.

"Please inform me of what I'm doing wrong, _your majesty._" Pansy said sarcastically. Hermione deflated, no matter how annoying Pansy could be she would not hurt her like she could. This was because they were friends and friends didn't do that to one another.

"So now you're just going to go silent _Princess!_" Pansy shrieked. Blaise visibly flinched and Pansy let his hand go. He went over to Draco who was behind Hermione, both of them moved from behind Hermione incase Pansy decided it was a good idea to start throwing jinxes.

"Pansy you know what you're doing is wrong and I won't tell the world what the heck your doing-even if it is wrong. I won't tell the world because I know that your conscience will eat at you and your guilt will overwhelm you until you suffocate from it. You're a better person than to let it happen." Hermione said quietly. A crowd had gathered around the two and was waiting until Hermione's famed slaps were thrown.

"You're full of crap Granger. I don't understand you. I bet you're nothing more than a filthy mudblood anyway." Pansy said and smirked. She looked absolutely horrendous in that moment, and what she said touched an unwanted monster inside Hermione. She snapped.

"Don't call me a mudblood." Hermione said dangerously. Her face looked completely calm so no one knew what would happen next.

"Why because you know deep down you are just that? A filthy, little, dirty mudblood that doesn't deserve to live." Pansy taunted Hermione.

Hermione pulled her wand out of her robes so fast that no one could see it.

"_Petrificus Totalas!_" Hermione shrieked with pure uncontrolled anger. Pansy shrieked before the spell hit her, and then she laid face down on the ground. Hermione walked over to her and flipped her over with her foot.

"Pansy are you alright?" Someone shouted from the crowd, it sounded like Blaise.

"Don't give the witch your sympathy. She's a no good bloody whore." Hermione said her voice still hinting at a dangerously angry level. Hermione looked down at Pansy's lifeless body and thought, she's no friend of mine. Then she walked away, muttering the counter-spell under her breath.

"Get back here GRANGER! I'm not finished with you!" Pansy yelled but Hermione just ignored her and kept walking towards the lake.

She felt a rough hand on her shoulder. She grabbed that hand and flipped Draco over her shoulder. All of Hermione's anger melted when she realized who she flipped.

"Draco I'm so sorry! I thought you were Parkinson!" Hermione said bending down to make sure that he was alright.

"Whatever controlled you to hex her? You could be expelled now!" Draco said in an awed voice, she could hear the respect there; the respect for her jinx and for the strength to throw him over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry but I'm not a mudblood." Hermione said quietly.

"Well obviously! You're a Slytherin." He said exasperated.

"Then you see my point. Plus I couldn't just let her use Blaise. Hopefully the guilt will eat her until she breaks up with him." Hermione said with venom in her voice.

"Use him?" He asked confused.

"She likes you and she's just using Blaise to make you jealous." Hermione said. Draco looked amused.

"You may come back to the school now and safely go to your common rooms." Professor Snape said over the talk of the students.

"We'd better get back." Hermione said.

"Yeah I guess so."


	3. Apologize

"Blaise did you hear?" Hermione squealed excitedly. She had just learned that Harry and Weasel got to the sorcerer's stone, with the help of the biggest gossip in school, Lavender Brown.

"Hear what Granger?" Blaise asked in a bored voice.

"Harry and Weasel and that Brown girl got the sorcerer's stone!" Hermione was so excited. She just couldn't believe it. Those bloody morons actually were able to get to the carefully hidden sorcerer's stone even through all of Dumbledore's skilled traps.

"Buffoons." He said then turned away from her, they were at breakfast and tonight at dinner they would see who won the house cup. She was sitting as far away from Draco and Pansy as possible; Pansy had finally gotten what she wanted. Draco. Draco and Hermione barely talked anymore because Pansy was always hanging on to his every word, much like that first time that Hermione had met the two.

"They make me so bloody sick." Hermione commented. Blaise didn't even look up to know whom Hermione was talking about.

"If it makes you sick don't look." Blaise said in an uninterested tone. Poor Blaise, right after Hermione and Pansy's face off on Halloween he got dumped by Pansy for Draco. And no matter how much that ticked Hermione off; he still went out with her.

"Fine." Hermione grumbled. The rest of breakfast continued in silence.

Hermione went to Potions like normal and took her seat next to Draco.

"Hey Hermione." Draco said smiling at her, but she didn't return the smile. Hermione was on loose terms with Draco and wasn't real happy that he chose Pansy over her, especially when she didn't have that many friends to begin with. "Are you mad?" He asked.

"Noooo. I'm perfectly fine." Hermione said sarcastically glaring at Draco.

"Hermione what's your problem?" Draco asked irritated.

"You Malfoy. I can't believe you'd ditch me for a stupid wench like Pansy." Hermione burst. She was so mad that her friends continued to ditch her.

"Jealous?" He smirked.

"Excuse me? Jealous of that-that thing?!" Hermione exploded. The whole class turned and looked at her. But she didn't stop there.

"Draco Malfoy if you think that I'm jealous of Parkinson you had better shrink that bloody ego down or else you're in for a big surprise. Me? Jealous? You know what Malfoy; you can sit by your bloody _girlfriend_. I'll just leave you two to do what ever the bloody hell you want to." Hermione said and ran out of the room. She really wished that Draco could see that all she wanted was her friend from before back. Stupid git. She stopped in the girl's bathroom.

"Why is it that my life is so messed up?" Hermione whispered to the mirror before her. There was no reply and Hermione felt more alone than ever. Summer was coming and then she'd be able to see her parents again but there was something that kept nagging at her. What were her parents? Who were they to make it so that she was put into such a gawd awful house? One where no one trusted the other and never made real friends; But Hermione knew that she couldn't really blame them. She was perfect in this house. Her temper, attitude towards others, it all fit in to this house, but the thing was she was a friend-orientated person who needed others.

Bellatrix LeStrange….hm. Some how Hermione just couldn't picture her last name that sounded, no pun intended, well, strange. **(A/N: In this story I'm going to have Bellatrix be Narcissa's super close friend and everyone thought because of that that they were sisters. XD) **Her mom must have done something bad…. no it was probably what house her dad was in and she just inherited it.

"Granger don't you make me come in there." Blaise's voice sounded through the thick door to the girl's bathroom. She walked over to where the door was and opened it, she had no tears in her eyes like he had expected but a cold, almost maniacal look etched into her features.

"What do you want Blaise?" Hermione asked. Blaise internally shuddered; it was like seeing a replica of Draco's aunt Bella.

"Professor Snape wants you."

"Well I sure don't want him. But I guess I'll have to come anyway." Hermione shrugged, her mask turning back to her normal self. Hermione wanted nothing more than to go back to potions and tell off Draco Malfoy but she knew that she shouldn't; she had probably already gotten tons of points taken away from their house already.

"Blaise can you switch seats with Draco?" Hermione asked softly, but being the proud girl that she was she kept her head held high. Not that anyone would ever know, it was people that scared her most. What they could do to you, the pain they can inflict, or any other kind of emotion that they make.

"Why not Granger?" Blaise said bored.

"Thank you Blaise." Hermione said as she went and sat in her normal seat in Potions. She sent a cold look at Draco while Blaise explained that he wanted to switch seats. Draco switched easily enough.

The rest of the class period passed slowly, Professor Snape droning on and on while Hermione doodled on her notes absentmindedly. Before she knew it she had a whole army of stick people surrounding these 3 lone stick people, with one stick figure above the others.

"You are dismissed." Snape said in his monotone voice. Hermione jerked with a start drawing a line through the floating stick figure.

"Whatcha drawing?" Blaise asked looking at her while she stared incredulously at her paper that Snape had practically ruined.

"I'm not sure but it's ruined now." Hermione said her eyebrows knitting into a frown. Hermione got up and gathered her notes and books.

"See you in herbology." Hermione said and made her way towards her next class, charms.

The whole school day passed by in the same way, Hermione doodling on her notes. Each time she drew the people, she would add a little more details before she had to stop.

"Hermione?" Harry said coming up behind her on her way to the Great Hall for their last dinner at Hogwarts until next year.

"What do you want Harry?" Hermione asked glaring at him. He had done nothing to repair their friendship all year and she was horribly mad at him for it.

"I'm sorry. Ron and I shouldn't have- I'm sorry." Harry said rushed. Hermione just looked at him like he was crazy. After a whole year of ignoring her, not Weasel they had been giving each other hell all year while Harry just watched on with indifference.

"What?" She asked instead of letting her new anger grip her.

"I'm sorry Hermione. I was wrong and I wanted you to know that Ron's a git and-Will you forgive me?" He pleaded. Hermione really was starting to consider what he was saying.

"Fine Harry. But don't you dare think that everything is perfect now alright?" She dared. Harry nodded.

"Thanks Hermione. I got to go." He said suddenly. Hermione looked behind her and saw Draco coming her way. She sighed and started to walk a little faster.

"Walking faster won't help you Hermione." He drawled.

"Help me? Ha why would I need help against someone who resembles such a ferret?" She said, she had no idea why she said it but she did.

"What is your problem lately?" He glared, his icy silver eyes bore into hers with a cold and chilling glare, but it didn't faze Hermione.

"Why did you go out with Parkinson? You know she just used Blaise and now she'll go off and use you." She said just as icily as his glare was. But there was something in the way that she said it that fazed Draco. She was acting just like his Aunt Bella.

"Why does that concern you?" He said smirking.

"Because at one point you were my friend."

"One point?"

"Yeah," She said sarcastically, "Come on Draco, I know that you're not that stupid. One point as in not right now."

"Why just because I'm going out with Pansy?"

"Where are your senses?!" Hermione exclaimed.

"What do you mean!" He yelled back at her.

"She is going to _use_ you, you git!" Hermione screeched. Draco was astonished. Her rage gave off the appearance of Bellatrix LeStrange, his aunt.

"Who are your parents?" He asked going on the need to know why she struck him so much like Aunt Bella.

"My parents are dead and I'd rather they were left in peace. We have no need to discuss them." Hermione sniffed looking away. He didn't drop it.

"Who, not what."

"The Grangers are my parents, happy now?" She said.

"But that's not your real parents because I know that you see them every holiday, they're not dead."

"So what? They are my parents and I don't care if you think other wise." Hermione said and stomped off with tears gathering in her eyes.

How dare he? How _dare he?!_ That is not a subject that he needs to know! Hermione was mad that Draco could bring out such a strong response in her. Stupid beautiful ferret. Beautiful for his silver eyes but everything else about him was too much like a ferret, boy he was annoying. She vowed to herself that she would not speak to him again until he apologized.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

**A/N: Sorry I know it's short but I wanted to end this chapter here. I needed to start my next chapter but to do so I had to make this one short. Thank you and REVIEW PLEASE!!! **


	4. Dates

_Fourth Year_

__-_-__

"I can't wait! Do you know who you're going to ask?" Hermione gushed to the compartment while they were sitting together on the train with Harry, Weasel and Lavender.

" I know! I've already got my dress picked out and everything, If they hadn't sent an owl telling us about the Championship, eh hm, Yule Ball, I would have never gotten a dress." Lavender said.

"What color?" Hermione asked.

"Red. Obviously." Lavender said rolling her eyes.

"That'll look gorgeous on you, what's it cut?"

"Strapless and floor length. It has glitter around my-" Lavender casually, or so she must have thought referred to her cleavage. Hermione laughed and so did Harry as he saw what she was indicating.

"Well I got a few that I want, green for me and my mother wants me to wear pink." Hermione prickled her nose. She really had a thing against pink.

"I think that with that dark brown hair I'd go with a green, it'd contrast better." Lavender said knowingly. Hermione had her choices between her mom's fluttery pink dress or the strapless green one that bunched up with rhinestones. It was beautiful.

There was a knock on the door.

"Granger, come on." Blaise said looking in on her. Even after 4 years of being friends he still called her Granger.

"Guess I'll see you guys when we reach the school." Hermione said jumping off of her seat to follow Blaise to his compartment. Draco was there with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Hello guys." Hermione said to the room. Draco and her had made up in 3rd year after she was with the trio she was just with, watching Buckbeak's death sentence. Lavender and her couldn't watch and both had gone into the guy's shoulders. Draco had laughed and Hermione punched him in his nose at that. But later that night in the common room he apologized for everything.

Parkinson had used him and broken up with him in second year when she found other guys who she liked better. None of the guys in this compartment liked her now.

"Hey Hermione." Everyone replied.

"What did you want? We were just discussing the Yule Ball." Hermione said dropping down next to Blaise. She'd never admit it but she was hoping that Blaise would ask her to the ball.

"What did you already get a date?" Draco asked sarcastically. In fact Theodore Nott had already asked her, but she had declined. There was something about him that just mad her feel to vulnerable for her out too much to go to a dance with him.

"Uh." Yeah, brilliant comeback to that, especially when she had someone she was hoping to ask her in that very compartment. "No I don't have a date. Do you?" Hermione asked back.

"Keeping my options open, I mean I do have until December." He said.

"How about you Blaise?" Hermione asked him.

"I was thinking of asking Daphne Greengrass." He said. All hope of going to the ball with Blaise went down the drain. Daphne had a huge crush on him and if he asked her she would defiantly say yes.

"Cool." Hermione said indifferent. Draco looked at her and raise a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"How was your summer?" Draco asked me.

"Same old same old. I got to catch up on my reading. I read this book called Burning Brightly and it goes with my favorite book called Arrows Queen." Hermione said excitedly. Draco looked bored.

"Sounds boring." He stated. They were almost at the school now so Hermione excused herself and changed into her school robes.

-_-_-_-

Dinner went by like normal. The first years were sorted and Dumbledore started one of his long speeches.

"…Those two schools will be housed this year as we host the Tri-wizard tournament." Hermione looked up as he said this, but then the door burst open and Filtch came in rushing down the aisle to the headmaster.

They discussed something for a minute and Filtch ran back down the aisle. A minute after he disappeared through the doors the opened again to reveal a flock of beautiful girls.

Hermione gasped, she would have that much more competition for the boys now. Not that her chances were high to begin with but now that those girls were here Hermione's hope plummeted.

In the midst of the girls was a giant. She was beautiful in and of herself but she was huge, bigger than Hagrid when she was a first year and he toward over her.

All the boys seemed to be struck by their beauty. Hermione snuck a look over at Blaise and Draco. Blaise seemed to be admiring them with an indifferent expression while Draco took them in hungrily. Draco could be such a pig. Hermione sighed again.

Then as they took seats through out the house tables a bunch of boys came in. They were gorgeous. There was one near the back that looked vaguely familiar…Victor Krum. The Victor Krum. She had heard about him from Lavender while she dished his good looks. Hermione wouldn't lie Victor Krum was absolutely hot.

At that moment his eyes seemed to seek her out and their eyes connected, she blushed and looked away.

Then they were done and he came and sat next to Blaise and Draco at their table. Hermione kept trying to keep her eyes from staying on him for to long but she failed miserably.

"Ello, my name is Victor." He said with a beautiful accent to Hermione. She looked up and blushed.

"Hi, my name is Hermione." She said looking up. At that moment something passed in Draco's eyes and if Hermione had been looking at him she would have known exactly what it was.

"Er'mione? Such a beautiful name." Victor said smiling. Hermione blushed again and looked away. They had started to serve the food so she started eating.

That night when she fell asleep it was full of boys with short brown hair and beautiful accents. Victor Krum.

_-_-_-_

"Morning Hermione." Draco said as Hermione made her way to the bathroom when she woke up. She was up early so she hadn't bothered to put on anything more than a pair of short booty shorts and a white tank top. She blushed a light pink and nodded looking down at her outfit.

"Morning Draco." She said and continued her way towards the bathroom.

Hermione's hair had calmed down since her first year. It was no longer the bushy haired mess that it had once been but sleek brown curls that hung to the middle of her back. She took a shower and got dressed in her robes. This morning she even applied a little of the mascara her mom had gotten for the Yule Ball.

She put her hair up into a loose ponytail that left the curls just brushing her shoulders. Her lashes were defined and long and she was ready to go to breakfast.

Hermione walked out of the bathroom surprised to see Draco sitting on the common room couch, she would have thought that by this time he would have gone to breakfast.

"Hey Draco." Hermione said going and sitting down next to him, then Hermione noticed that his eyes looked different. Haunted.

"Draco what's wrong?" Hermione asked concerned. He looked at her and a mask settled over his face.

"Nothing Hermione, what would be wrong?" He asked trying to sound like his normal lazy self but failed.

"Please tell me?" She pouted giving him the puppy dog eyes which brought a role of the eyes and a smirk to his face. Hermione smiled knowing that her job was done.

"Ready for breakfast?" She asked hopping up from the couch, but he just sat there looking up at her with an even bigger smirk than before.

"Naw you go ahead."

"Draco you are not making me go alone." Hermione demanded glaring at him but there was a playful edge to her glare, making it softer.

"Well if you don't want to go alone then you'll have to make me go with you."

"Oh I have to make the great Slytherin Prince go to breakfast? What a task." She said with a plan forming in her mind.

"That's a new one Slytherin Prince, I rather like the sound of that." He mused.

"Breakfast?" She asked.

"Make me." He said looking directly at her with a challenge in his eyes.

"Just remember you asked for this." She warned and Draco scoffed at her.

"Levicorpus!" Hermione said at the same time that Draco screamed. He flew into the air by his ankle and laughter erupted from Hermione.

Seconds later most of the Slytherins were downstairs in the dormitory laughing with Hermione at Draco's predicament. Blaise's booming laughter was heard even above all of Draco's profanities.

"Hermione Granger you get me the h*** down this instant!" He yelled emitting another round of laughter from said Hermione Granger.

"Fine I'll go to d*** breakfast with you if you just get me down!" He yelled again and Hermione released the spell.

Draco's already red face became even redder at being laughed at by the entire Slytherin house.

"Well come now Draky won't you come to breakfast with me?" Hermione asked with amusement making her eyes glitter.

"I'll come to breakfast with you Granger even if Draco doesn't. I can't wait to see what you do next." Blaise laughed.

"But I need Draco to come, Blaise should I show him the way out?" Hermione asked Blaise because Draco was still lying sprawled out on the couch the way he landed.

"I'm coming Hermione." Draco said scrambling off the couch and effectively landing in a heap on the floor. Hermione started another fit of laughter.

"Come on, I've sure worked up a appetite." Hermione said walking towards the door, knowing that both boys were following.

The three made it down to the Great Hall, much to Hermione's displeasure, with seeing almost every Beauxbaton girl in the school. Blaise and Draco drooled over every single one of them.

They went and sat at their usual spot when Hermione saw Victor Krum where they sat. She blushed remembering her dreams from the night before.

"Ello there Er'mione." Victor said when she sat down.

"Hello Victor." She replied and looked away.

"Did you sleep vell?" He asked.

"Pleasantly, how about you?"

"Very vonderful." He replied.

"Hermione, scar head's coming over." Draco said interrupting Hermione and Victor's conversation.

"His name is Harry, Draco." She said exasperated and looked up to see Harry standing in front of her looking very uncomfortable with all of the Slytherins around.

"Hermione can I talk to you?" He asked quietly.

"Course Harry." She said standing up, she could tell that he wanted to talk alone.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Well…I was wondering….well maybe if…you-uh…would like to go to the Y-Yule Ball with me?" He asked looking at his feet, then as an after thought, "I mean as friends." He said rushed.

"Oh Harry." She said surprised.

"I understand if you don't want to go to the ball with a scar-head." He said still looking down.

"Harry why don't you ask the Weasel's sister, I mean I've seen you goggling at her for a few years now." Hermione said awkwardly. She really didn't want to go to the dance with Harry romantically, but as a friend and maybe if they both didn't find dates then sure but not as a date.

"Ginny? She wouldn't go with me."

"How about Cho then? I've seen you staring at her too." She said.

"You know I've never considered that. Thanks for the idea Hermione." He said and ran off. Hermione letting out a breath at 'the bullet she just dodged' as he parents would say.

Now that was an interesting topic to think about. Hermione Lestrange…it just didn't sound right to her. She was wondering how her real parents died, all her foster parents had said was that the lady at the orphanage said a lady with dark brown hair came in saying she was a neighbor who went over to ask them for dinner but they were all dead.

"Hermione!" Hermione heard Lavender yell across the hall that she was in.

"Hey Lavender." She said.

"Guess what?" She practically screamed.

"What?" Hermione said her intreast level increasing.

"My dress just came in an owl! Do you want to see it?" She asked. Hermione was elated that Lavender had actually come to her and asked to see the dress.

"Come on." She said and they ran back to where Parvati was waiting holding a giant box in her hands.

They ran outside to the beach and spread out their robes on the ground so that when they took out the dress it wouldn't get dirty.

Lavender pulled out one of the most beautiful dresses that Hermione had ever seen. It was a deep red with a tight bodice with a flowing skirt that barely brushed the floor. There were rhinestones along the strapless cleavage area and at the edge of the skirt. It would look amazing on Lavender.

"Lav that will look beautiful on you!" Parvati squealed.

"It will!" Hermione added. Lavender just beamed.

"Now I just got to find a date." She said and all the girls laughed.

"Lavender, with your looks it won't be hard to get yourself a date." Hermione said. She looked at her watch.

"We've got to get to classes! I got to go. Bye!" Hermione said and ran off just making it to herbology on time. Draco gave her a quizzical look and she just shook her head.

"Find a partner today we will be pairing up with Professor Hagrid to learn the dangers of Blast-ended Skwerts." Professor Sprout said and the class groaned.

"Draco, be my partner?" Hermione asked.

"If we live that long." He joked.

"Good point." She said and they made their way to the edge of the greenhouse.


	5. Playful

A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews and I know that I haven't explained a lot yet but I will. As I said in my authors note when I made Hermione a LeStrange, she is not related to Draco. Bellatrix is just Narcissa's best friend in this and everyone just assumed that they were related. I made all the Beauxbatons girls for a reason. If you haven't noticed I just made it that way for Hermione to get jealous, sorry if that annoys you or makes you angry. And also this story is very OOC. I mean very. Thanks again and remember to review all comments and concerns. Constructive criticism is welcome.

*-*-*-*

"That stupid oaf has no idea how to keep his own bloody students safe!" Draco yelled for the millionth time since he got burned. Draco's arm was burned from where the blast-ended skewrt got scared and ran at him.

"Draco will you shut up?! It was not Hagrid's fault the skewrt just got scared so quit complaining and get moving." Hermione said annoyed. They were going to class after skipping 3 of their other classes because of Draco's incident.

"Well I'm sorry that I got attacked by a fat beast and that oaf did nothing about it!"

"You know very well he did all he could. Be happy that he even brought you to the hospital wing, and may I say _again?!_ You do remember 3rd year don't you?" Hermione snapped.

They made it to the door for potions and Hermione brushed down her hair and walked inside. She sat at her seat and Draco grudgingly sat down next to her.

"Today…" Snape said to the class but Hermione drowned him out, she knew what they were doing today and had already read it. She would listen near the end so that she could find out the homework.

Hermione took out a note and started to draw on it. She drew all sorts of things, but all of them were cartoons. She looked up at Draco after a few minutes and saw that his face had become full of worry, she didn't want to interrupt the class so she wrote on the paper.

'Draco what's wrong?' She wrote.

Then she poked him in the arm gently, his good arm. He didn't respond so she poked a little harder, he gave her an annoyed look then saw that she was trying to get him to take the piece of paper. He took it from her.

'There is nothing wrong.' He wrote back.

'Don't lie to me Draco. I'm smarter than most of your other friends and know when something's bothering you.' Hermione wrote frowning.

'Hermione you're just looking to much into things so bugger off.' When he handed it to her and she read it she gave him an incredulous look then smacked his arm.

'Don't you tell me to bugger off Draco Malfoy. Now tell me what's wrong.'

"Nothing is!'

'Draco.'

'Hermione.'

'Tell me what's wrong or else.'

'What, are you going to levitate me again in front of Snape?' Draco said smirking.

'Don't tempt me.'

'Then what will you do?'

'You don't even want to know.'

'Ah but that's where you're wrong. I do want to know.'

'I will never leave you alone again. This will be a topic we will discus forever and I have a very good memory.' _But not about your parents._ Went through Hermione's head as she handed the note to Draco.

'Not now, I'll tell you later then.' He said sighing and giving in. Hermione smiled.

'Thanks.' She handed the paper back to him but then he started to draw on it. She took it from underneath his hand.

'And that my good sir is mine.' She wrote showing it to him from beneath her hands.

'Then you need to learn to share. You're not the only one who's bored in here.'

'Get your own paper.' Hermione said and started to doodle again.

"Class dismissed." Snape said to the class and Hermione stuck the note in her robe's pocket. They all headed towards dinner.

Hermione left Draco for a minute to go and see what was the deal with Harry when Victor showed up in front of her.

"Oh hello Victor." She said stopping.

"Ello Er'mione. I vas vondering if you vould like to go to the ball vith me?" He asked looking at her. Hermione blushed.

"That would be nice." She said.

"Good. I must go now." He said and walked off. Hermione was beaming as she walked over to Harry.

"Hey Harry I was wondering how things went with Cho?" Hermione said as she sat next to him at the Gryffindor table. Weasleys surrounded him along with Lavender and Pavarti. The Weasel, Ginny, Fred, and George, (both of whom never spoke to her since that day on the train).

"Bugger off Granger." Weasel said. She shot him a dirty look.

"She's going with Cedric Diggory." He said, Hermione's look softened with sympathy. Ginny hadn't seemed to know that he was going to ask Cho and looked cross.

"She wouldn't go out with you but will go out with Cedric? That is the dumbest thing that I have ever heard! I mean you're caring, sweet, and good looking…But I guess Cedric could be to but still." Ginny went off. Harry looked at her with wonderment. Then and idea came to Hermione. She leaned in close to Harry.

"Ask her to go to the ball with you!" She whispered franticly into his ear. She pulled back in time to see his shocked expression.

"Oh." He said then he looked at Ginny, who like Hermione had added a coat of mascara on that morning.

"Brilliant." Hermione said rolling her eyes.

"Ginny-would you go to the ball with me?" Harry asked, not at all hesitant in asking her.

"Sure." Ginny said smiling.

"Well I had better be off, looks like the mail's coming and I need to be at my table to get mine." Hermione said walking off. She heard something like a 'don't come back' from Weasel but decided to ignore it.

She sat down next to Draco in time for a big box to land in front of her. Hermione gasped, her mom had went ahead and picked out her dress! Oh no, she probably picked out the pink one she liked, Hermione thought as she opened it.

What she saw inside was not the pink dress her mother liked but the emerald green one that she had fallen in love with. On the dress was a note.

Dear Hermione,

Hello dear, I knew that you weren't sure on which dress that you wanted but I knew that the ball was coming up soon so I went ahead and got the one that you liked better. I love you and I just know that you will look beautiful in it.

Knock 'em dead.

Love,

Mom

Hermione shrieked with joy and looked over at Draco who was looking at the dress.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Hermione asked awed. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Yes, yes it's beautiful. Now can you please get it off of the table so that I can eat?" Blaise said. Hermione sighed and looked over at Lavender and Ginny. She would have to show it to them on. They were her two closest girl friends she had now, even if Weasel didn't like either of them hanging out with her.

"Fine I will. But I'll see you later then." Hermione said standing up and bending to get the box.

"Not having dinner?" Draco asked.

"Nope. I've got to show Ginny and Lavender my dress. Hopefully they've eaten something." Hermione said.

"Bye then." Blaise and Draco said eating dinner. Hermione ran off with her box floating in the air behind her, to the Gryffindor table.

"Ginny, Lavender I got my dress!" Hermione said as they she reached their table. Both girls immediately put down their forks/spoons and stood up. Pavarti looked left out though seeing as the other two girls got to go and see the dress.

"Pavarti would you like to come to?" Hermione asked not liking that Pavarti was feeling left out.

"Sure. Thanks." Pavarti said standing up.

"This way. Bye boys." Hermione said and ran away again with the three girls at her heels.

"Where are we going?" Ginny asked.

"We're going to the girls bathroom." Hermione said and they ran to the girls bathroom, Hermione's box still flying through the air behind them.

They made it there in record time and Hermione ran into a stall with her box floating gently in with her.

"Hermione come out!" Lavender and Pavarti whined.

"Just give me a minute." Hermione slipped out of her school uniform and into the long dress.

"Ginny can you help me with my zipper?" Hermione asked softly. She loved the way that the silk felt on her.

Ginny knocked on the stall door, letting Hermione know to open it and she did, but she was turned around so no one could see much except the amazing emerald green.

Hermione's hair tumbled around her shoulders in soft ringlets and she turned around to show her Gryffindor friends. They all went quiet when they saw her.

"What do you think?" She asked. She was covered in a floor-length silk, emerald green gown that bunched up in places with rhinestones all over; it was also strapless which Hermione liked a lot better than the poofed out sleeves of the other dress.

"Hermione you look absolutely beautiful." Ginny said awed.

"You will be to die for at the ball." Lavender said.

"You have got to let us do your hair! In a nice updo it will look even more wonderful than it already looks on you!" Pavarti said and Hermione blushed.

"Do you have a date?" Ginny asked her.

"Yeah I do." Hermione said not giving away just who was her date yet.

"Who?" Lavender asked.

"Victor Krum." Hermione said proudly. They all gasped.

"The seeker! He is so fine!" Pavarti said. All the girls laughed.

"Hey could someone unzip me?" Hermione said turning around for someone to unzip her. Some one came up and unzipped her and she went back to her stall and changed.

She came out a minute later.

"Thanks for coming you guys." Hermione said.

"We wouldn't miss it. You just have to promise to let us do your hair before the ball." Lavender said speaking for them all.

"Fine I will." Hermione said smiling.

"We got to get out of here, it's almost curfew." Pavarti said and all of the girls nodded.

"Bye." Everyone said and Hermione split from the Gryffindors and started walking to the dungeons.

She walked into the common room to see Draco laying on the couch reading a book.

"You're actually reading a book?" Hermione teased. Draco immediately snapped the book shut and gave her a shocked look.

"How did you do that?" He asked her breathless. Apparently she had scared him.

"I just walked into the room silly. Now make some room." Hermione laughed and sat next to him on the couch.

"So how was you're girl time?" Draco asked looking at her on the opposite side of the couch.

"Wonderful. I have three girls who have all claimed to be doing my hair for the ball." Hermione said proudly.

"You know you've advanced a lot from that bushy haired girl I met in 1st year." Draco said unexpectedly.

"Well I had better hope so." Hermione laughed and Draco laughed to.

"You have. You're not bushy haired, you're better with your spells, and you're more confident than you were back then. Sure you were proud but you weren't so confident as you are now." He said. Hermione beamed at the complement.

"Thanks Draco. Oh and is it later yet?" She asked and Draco sighed. "Come on it can't be that bad."

"But it is. That's why I don't want to tell you." Draco said with his eyes pleading.

"Draco, tell me."

"Fine…I over heard my parents talking…." He said trailing off.

"And? I hear my parents talking all the time."

"They were talking about their marks burning. Like _he _was coming back." He said in a scared voice, as if whomever this _he_ was would come out and hurt him.

"What are marks and who is quote he unquote?" Hermione asked.

"What? From a witch that has read so many books, you don't know who the dark lord is?" Draco asked incredulous. Hermione's eyes went wide. She knew who that was, and now she could see why he was so worried.

"A-and the marks?" She asked scared to know the answer.

"The dark marks, the ones that were magically burned into the dark lords servents." Draco said quietly. Hermione saw the sadness there and she couldn't help it, she got up and walked over to his side of the couch and hugged him. He automatically stiffened up, and then he relaxed and hugged her back.

"It'll be alright ok?" Hermione soothed.

"But Hermione-something bad is going to happen. I know it." He whispered.

"What is it?" She whispered back.

"It has to do with the tournament, and Potter." No one knew how Harry had gotten into the tournament but he had and he had made it all the way so far, past the dragon.

"What about the tournament Draco?" Hermione said with her voice shaking.

"Am I interrupting something?" Both turned and Hermione's arms dropped from Draco at the sound of Blaise's voice.

"Nothing." Hermione said.

"What are you implying Blaise? That I would try to seduce one of my best friends?" Draco said sarcastically. Blaise laughed.

"Yeah you're right."

"Are you two saying that I'm not attractive enough for you?" Hermione pouted and took a step back from Draco. She glared them down.

"No, it's just that you're like our best friends and it would be weird." Blaise said.

"No Hermione, if you weren't my best friend I would totally date you." Draco said at the same time.

"Good. Now that I'm satisfied I think I may take a shower then go to bed. Good bye you two." Hermione went upstairs and grabbed a towel then came back down and took a shower, washing all traces of mascara off of her face.

Hermione walked back up in a white tank top and blue pajama pants that had clouds on them. She got in bed and fell asleep.

_-*-_-*-_-

"_Hello. I'm the neighbor of this child. I just came from her house; she was the only one alive. Her family was dead-both of them-just laying there like they were sleeping. We have to call the police-please just-oh god." A woman with dark brown hair and wept from dark brown eyes while she held the little girl, the little girl just watched the scene with indifference._

"_Where's daddy?" The little girl asked her neighbor._

"_You're mummy and daddy are dead." She replied._

"_Poor girl. Here give her here." The orphanage lady said taking the girl in her arms._

"_Bye little Hermione. Good luck with your new family. I'm so sorry." The neighbor said and walked away._

"_Bye bye mummy." Hermione said and the orphanage lady looked at her softly._

"_Honey, this is your neighbor, not your mummy." She soothed._

"_But she looks just like my mummy." Hermione argued._

"_Sweety, that was your neighbor I'm sorry."_

"_I want my mummy and daddy!" Hermione screamed and started bawling. The orphanage lady comforted her and brought her inside the orphanage. _

"_Another one Ms. Jayne?" The lady at the front desk asked._

"_Her family just died." Ms. Jayne replied._

"_I WANT MY MUMMY BACK!" Hermione screamed and started kicking._


	6. Yule Ball

Hermione woke from her dream with a start. It had seemed so vivid, so real, she thought that she was actually there.

Hermione started to cry silent tears for what she missed. The rest of the girls were still sleeping, but Hermione couldn't go back to sleep for fear of what her dreams held for her.

Two hours later Hermione went down as the last girl down, still in her pajamas she brought her robes and ran to the bathroom.

"Hermione wait a sec." Draco said as she rushed towards the bathroom, she stopped and turned to him.

"Yeah?" She asked jumping up and down slightly wanting to get dressed so that she could at least have a small breakfast.

"Why are you so late? Classes start in 15 mintues." He said giving her a strange look. Her eyes were puffy from crying for the last two hours and she just really needed a cold shower.

"I got to go and get a shower I'll meet you in class." Hermione said running into the girls bathroom.

She took a cold shower quickly and rushed out and threw her still damp hair into a messy bun. Then she ran to her first class of the day.

"Hey." Hermione said breathlessly as she flew into her seat, flying off of the seat and onto Draco's lap. She gasped as they both went tumbling to the floor with Draco's seat landing on top of Hermione as she landed on top of Draco.

"Oops." Hermione said still breathless and scrambled off of Draco. He frowned and sat up.

"Great." He said and stood up, brushing himself off.

"I'm really sorry." Hermione said and sat in her seat with her cheeks going pink. Everyone's head turned when they heard the crash and now were all whispering to each other.

The rest of the week went by with no insident. Draco and Hermione were awkward the first day but they were good now.

Tomorrow was the Yule Ball and Hermione couldn't wait to go. She was going to go with Victor Krum, a Tri-Wizard contestent who has absolutely hot.

"Er'mione can I speak vith you vor a moment?" Victor said at breakfast that morning.

"Yeah Victor." Hermione said following him out onto the grounds.

"Er'mione I vanted to tell you that, and I'm sorry avout this, but I am going to ask Luna to go to the ball vith me." He said standing tall and looking her right in the eye. Hermione slapped him.

"EXCUSE ME!? You're going to ditch me for Loony Lovegood?!" She screamed and slapped him again. This time he took a step back. She reached into her robes and pulled out her wand and started towards his retreating figure.

"Locomotor Mortis!" Hermione yelled at him. He fell down.

"Er'mione it isn't like that! I think I might be in love!" Victor yelled out but Hermione was beyond rage, she was completely livid. She kicked him and started her screaming again. By this time there was a crowd gathering and they were laughing at the fact that a seeker who was twice the size of Hermione was getting beat up by her.

"YOU DITCHED ME THE DAY BEFORE THE YULE BALL YOU STUPID BLOODY GIT!" Hermione screamed one last time and kicked him again then left.

Hermione's face was livid all day long and no one even attempted to talk to her. Finally at dinner Hermione's mask broke down and she just sat there with an empty look on her face during dinner.

"Is it safe to talk to you now?" Draco asked nervously.

"Yeah…" Hermione said her face turning sad.

"Are you alright?"

"No I'm not. I just got dumped the day before the biggest ball ever!" Hermione snapped.

"I could go with you if you want?" He asked. Hermione looked at him with a look that said what the heck.

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked incredulous.

"I said you could go with me if you wanted."

"No way!" She snapped, Hermione got up from her seat and glared down at him.

"I will not be your back up girl or rebounded. I already knew that you were going to ask that one girl." Hermione said quietly and dangerously. Draco acted on impulse.

"You look so much like my aunt Bella right now." He said speculating her. Hermione couldn't help it, she was intruged.

"Aunt Bella?" She asked sitting back down. Draco very rarely talked about his family so she wanted to hear what it was he was talking about.

"Yeah Bellatrix. She's got long, wavy dark brown hair, horrid temper, will hex your arse off if you gave her the chance, and stands about 3 inches taller than you." He said.

That had to be a coincidence. Bellatrix is a common name, Hermione thought looking away from him. Then suddenly her anger from a moment ago resurfaced.

"What ever Draco, just leave me alone." She said and stormed off. Draco's expression was bewildered at the fact that some one would actually turn him down for a date.

The next morning no one had classes, it was a day set up just for the ball. Hermione, Lavender, Ginny, and Pavarti all agreed to meet in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom to do hair and make-up.

It took the girls all day until they finally had to go get their dates to get ready. Ginny's dress was golden and ifisized every one of her curves. It was a little sparkly for her but she didn't mind, she had half of her hair up while the other half was down and it was straightened perfectly for tonight. Her make-up was in shades of gold that brought out her brown eyes.

Pavarti was wearing a beautiful purple dress that pinched up in some spots on the skirt and stayed close to her body. Lavender had her hair all in curls then piled on her head with a soft gold make-up.

Hermione looked beautiful, they had decided to bring out her natural curls by pulling it all up into a French twist hairstyle. Her make-up was silver eye shadow, dark green eyeliner, and black mascara that made her lashes super thick.

"I've got to go! Harry's picking me up in 2 minutes." Ginny said hugging everyone and rushing out of the bathroom.

"Same here." Lavender said and rushed out after her.

"Bye 'Mione!" Pavarti said as she rushed behind the other two. Hermione sighed, everyone knew that she didn't have a date for the ball so she'd have no one to be her date.

She started walking downstairs slowly, she knew that she'd be a little late but she didn't care. Let them see her when she looked so good, let Victor know exactly what he was missing.

Hermione edged in the door and someone shouted seeing her. Instantly everyone in the room turned and stared at her. She felt her face grow pink when Ginny gave her a thumbs up. Suddenly an arm went through hers and she looked over to see Draco, she wasn't unpleasant yet.

"Draco what are you doing?" She asked quietly as they made their way through the crowd onto the dance floor where a slow song was playing.

"I have decided that I want to dance with the prettiest girl in the room." He whispered into her ear as they started their dance. Her blushed traveled up to her ears as he said this.

"Thank you for the complement." She said smiling. To everyone else it looked as if they were a couple on their first date.

"No problem." As Hermione was in his arms she felt safe. He was so warm and she had never noticed how strong he had become from quitich. He had also grown inches above her. His hair was just barely brushing his eyes, his beautiful, beautiful silver eyes. Hermione stopped suddenly as realization hit her hard.

She had a crush on Draco.

A dark red blush started to creep up her neck. Draco looked at her quizzically.

"Is something wrong?" He asked and she quickly shook her head no. Then he smirked.

"Is it my good looks?" Hermione grinned and rolled her eyes though the blush was still there. In fact he did look good in his black dress robes.

"So that's a no? Hmph, thanks for hurting my pride Hermione." He teased her. Hermione giggled.

"Are you ever going to talk?" He asked smiling. She looked up in thought then he spun her around, they were dancing again.

"I might." She said, but even to her it sounded strange. And judging by Draco's expression he thought so to, it was too flirtatious and girly for her normal voice.

"Seriously Hermione are you feeling alright?" He asked her concerned. She looked up into his silver eyes and lost her train of thought.

"I-I need to sit down. Could you get me a glass of punch?" She asked breathlessly, sounding more like herself. He smiled at her.

"Well Hermione, I'm not your date." He said sarcastically a smirk forming from his sweet grin.

"How about I except your offer from yesterday?" She asked almost pleadingly.

"I'll think about it while I get you a glass of punch." He said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Thank you Draco." Hermione said and went to sit down. Soon after Ginny came and sat next to her.

"So you and Draco huh?" She asked smiling. Hermione blushed.

"I guess." She said quietly with a small smile on her face.

"You totally like him don't you?! You've fallen for Draco Malfoy's charms! I knew you'd fall eventually." Ginny said.

"You've taken a liking to me?" Draco said coming up behind Hermione. She felt her face go beet red and tears well up in her eyes. Oh no.

"OHMIGOD!" Ginny yelled jumping back. "Don't do that Malfoy!" She scolded. Then she looked between the two of them and said bye to Hermione.

Hermione slowly turned around to look at Draco whose face had become a mask of indifferentness.

"I…uh…well." Hermione said looking down. A guy had never affected her so badly, not even Victor Krum.

"I'm going to take that as a yes." He said quietly and then stepped forward. Suddenly she felt to hot in her dress. What was he doing, she thought.

"Uh…well…" She said, yes that was her brilliant response. Then Draco leaned down and kissed her right on her mouth. His hands went up to cradle her face; her hands were stuck between them on his chest.

Finally he pulled back after what seemed like forever to her and he smiled.

"Well." She said also smiling.

"Draco I need to talk to you. Now. In my office." Professor Snape said coming up beside them and looking down on them. Hermione's face turned red at the thought of Snape seeing the two of them kiss.

"Bye Draco, I'll see you later." Hermione said as Snape started walking away. Draco looked from her to Snape quickly then kissed her cheek and followed Snape. Hermione blushed again and went up to Ginny.

"Hey Ginny, thanks." Hermione said and walked out of the transformed Great Hall to the solidity of her dorm.

When she got to the common room she realized how much she wanted a bath. A good bath with bubbles.

She rushed upstairs, grabbed her pajamas, and rushed back to the bathroom. She then turned on the hot water and put bubbles into the bathtub. She slipped out her French twist and shaking it loose to let the curls out. Then she slipped out of her dress and heels and into the warm bubble bath and relaxed.


	7. Together

Hermione woke the next morning in a wonderful mood; last night was surely one of the best nights of her life. She got up early like normal and dressed in a pair of normal clothes. She wore a pair of dark skinny jeans, an orange shirt that fit her nicely, and a black zip up hoody over it. She put on a quick thing of mascara then went downstairs into the common room. She saw Draco sitting on the couch and a light pink blush spread over her cheeks.

"Morning Draco." She said going over to the couch where he was sitting in front of the fire.

"Good morning Hermione, sleep well?" He said smirking at her blush as she sat down beside him.

"I sleep exceptionally well, thank you for asking. How was your sleep?" Hermione said ignoring the blush and smiling.

"Extraordinary." He said giving her a grin. Suddenly his eyes that had been looking into hers, looked down at her lips.

"So-um-breakfast? Or am I going to have to force you to go again?" Hermione said with a playful smirk on her face. She kept her head high no matter how much Draco's eyes on her lips affected her.

"Sure. Let's go." He said getting up and holding a hand out to her. She looked at it for a moment before taking it in her own. She stood up and was surprised when he just held her hand tighter as they started for the portrait hole.

"Were you two lovebirds just going to leave without me?" Blaise said from behind them. It was amazing how he could always sneak up on Hermione, with her being on of the most paranoid girls in the school, always making sure of her surroundings.

"Well Blaise we just thought that you had stayed the night with Greengrass last night and that you would be late to rise." Draco said smirking at his best mate. Hermione rolled her eyes and started to pull her hand away from Draco's but noticed that he held tight and wouldn't let go.

"Just cause I might have stayed up late and slept in doesn't mean I wouldn't be hungry." Blaise replied a smile playing at the façade of sternness.

"So did you get lucky?" Draco said wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Draco!" Hermione said a blush creeping onto her cheeks again. Both boys laughed at her expression.

"Not now Draco, we wouldn't want to damage Granger's ears." Blaise said still laughing. Hermione allowed herself to crack a smile.

"So-subject change. Breakfast you two?" Hermione said looking between the two boys, the one who was now standing on her right and the one attached to her hand.

"Sounds great." Both boys said at the same time. The walked out of the common room and went downstairs to breakfast with Draco still holding Hermione's hand. Girls were shooting her jealous looks all the way downstairs, but some of the looks were just plain murderous. Hermione kept her head high though she even had a smug smirk on her face to show that Draco was indeed holding her hand, not theirs.

They sat down at their spot at their table when Ginny caught Hermione's attention. She was waving frantically at her and Hermione just waved her hand at her as if to tell her to bugger off but Ginny wasn't listening.

'Get over here!' Ginny mouthed but Hermione just ignored her and looked over at Draco who had an amused expression on his face.

"I think that the redhead is trying to get your attention." He said cracking a smile.

"Then she'll just have to wait because I don't want to talk to her at the moment. I'm quite content to stay just where I am." She said looking down at their entwined hands. Draco squeezed her hand and she squeezed back a smile lighting up her features.

"But it's not right to leave a friend waiting." He said.

"But I know what she'll be asking me." Hermione contered.

"She still wants to talk to you."

"But I don't know the answers to what she'll be asking."

"Hermione Granger, no knowing the answer?! What's the world coming to?" Draco laughed.

"Apparently the same world that will bring the same Hermione as to ignore her friends, even through her best attempts." Ginny said looking pointedly at Hermione. Ginny had braved the throng of Slytherins just to find out what was going on between Draco and Hermione. Hermione shook her head.

"Ginny when someone ignores you that usually means that they don't feel like talking at the moment." Hermione said smiling.

"And Hermione I just wanted to ask you a few questions." Ginny said grinning.

"And Draco just wants all of this to stop. Ginny is it alright for you to ask in front of me because I'd rather Hermione not move at the moment." Draco said interrupting what Hermione was about to say.

"Hermione might kill me for it." Ginny said sending said person a humorous glance.

"Well let's see if she will." Draco said. Hermione watched the exchange with livid eyes.

"Ginny I already know what you're going to ask and my answer is that I don't know. Another reason why I was going to ignore you other that coming straight over." Hermione said dangerously.

"Then I'll just ask Draco." Ginny said a challenge in her voice and expression.

"You wouldn't." Hermione said glaring. Ginny just smiled and turned to Draco.

"Are you two-"She was cut off by Hermione ripping her hand out of Draco's and jumping at her. The two girls fell to the floor and Hermione's hand covered Ginny's mouth, making sure that she wouldn't ask any more questions. She uncovered her hand lightly enough to be able to let her talk to her but kept her hand hovering over Ginny's mouth just in case.

"Don't you dare." Hermione hissed at the laughing Ginny.

"Get off of me Hermione, you wouldn't want to make a scene." Ginny said still laughing.

"Not until I know that you won't say a thing." Hermione growled.

"No promises." Ginny said smirking.

"Then I guess your not getting up."

"Then neither are you."

"Guess not." Hermione said shrugging; Draco couldn't contain himself and started to laugh. Soon everyone was looking at the two girls on the floor, most of them laughing.

"Now you've made a scene Hermione!" Ginny laughed at Hermione's blush that was creeping onto her face.

"Oi get off of my sister Granger!" Weasel said coming over, his face blood red with anger.

"And what if I don't want to?" Hermione said smiling sweetly. Ginny controlled her laughter and looked at her brother with a straight face.

"Yeah Ron what if I don't want her to move?" Ginny said.

"Ginny why would you want a snake like that on top of you?" Weasel said his eyes promising murder.

"Haven't you heard?" Hermione asked in fake innocence, leaving Ginny to come up with the story. The whole time Draco was just sitting there laughing his head off.

"Seriously Ron you really must get out more." Ginny said trying to sit up.

"No Ginny, don't get up. Weasel would know soon enough." Hermione said grabbing Ginny's hand.

"You're right Hermione." Ginny said squeezing Hermione's hand.

"GET THE BLOODY HELL OFF OF MY SISTER!" Weasel yelled and both girls dissolved into laughter, along with most of the Great Hall.

"Fine, fine." Hermione said gasping for breath as her laughter subsided and she got off of Ginny.

"Jeez Ron, don't blame Hermione. I'm the one who provoked her." Ginny said still laughing.

"I don't care! Just get the bloody hell back to our table." Ron said still yelling.

"No. I don't think I will. I think I might just sit here at the Slytherin table today." Ginny said plopping herself down onto the bench next to Draco. Hermione dissolved into another fit of laughter at Ginny's stubborn expression.

Weasel's face was livid.

"So Draco, are you and Hermione a thing?" Ginny asked in Hermione's momentary distraction. Hermione's laughter stopped immediately and she gasped.

"Yeah, if she wants to be." Draco said shrugging. Hermione glared daggers at Ginny who still had her buoyant humor and laughed.

"Ginny Weasley!" Hermione hissed. Ginny just laughed at her.

"Well Hermione are you going to except Malfoy's offer?" Ginny asked smirking, a habit she had picked up from Hermione.

"I oh um." Hermione stuttered, and for a second Draco looked almost worried. "Can you give us a minute Ginny?" Ginny nodded.

"Would you like to take a walk?" Draco asked seeing Hermione look down in nervousness.

"Yes please." She said and they walked out of the Great Hall together and out onto the grounds.

"So Hermione will you go out with me?" Draco asked looking at her when they reached the shore of the Black Lake.

"Draco…I would love to but…" Hermione trailed off. On one hand she had a major crush on him but on the other….she really didn't want to ruin the friendship that they shared.

"But?" He asked.

"I don't want to loose our friendship if things go bad. You're an amazing friend and I don't want to loose that. Ever." Hermione said looking out across the lake.

"Hermione I swear that wouldn't happen. The fact that we're still friends is very proof of that. If we let things get between us we would not have been friends."

"Draco it's the possibility."

"Please Hermione, if only to see if things could be good together?" He asked and Hermione made the mistake to look into his eyes. His eyes that had captivated her all along, those silver orbs that never failed to let her loose herself.

"I…Alright. I will." Hermione said, still looking into his eyes.

"Great." He said smiling a sweet smile.

"Did you know that some people say that the eyes are windows to the soul?" Hermione asked off the current topic, which Draco surely pointed out.

"That's very off topic but yes I've heard." Draco said chuckling and brushing a stray hair from Hermione's face and tucking it behind her ear.

"Sorry it just kind of hit me." She said giggling. Then he wrapped his arms around her waist, Hermione smiled and leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Hm." Hermione sighed thinking how this could work.

"Why don't you tell me about yourself?" He asked.

"Why? You already know everything about me." Hermione said smiling into the hollow of his neck, that's as far as she reached on him. He was a whole head taller than her.

"How about your family then?"

"Only if you promise to tell me about yours." Hermione countered.

"Fine, but you start."

"Then let's go sit down." Hermione said letting go of Draco and going to the grass that was just a few feet away from the sand that they were on at the moment. She sat down with Draco sitting next to her, gripping her hand in his. He started to play with her fingers.

"You can start when ever you wish." He said looking up to her face then back down at her hand.

"Oh-okay." Hermione said and took a deep breath. He looked up with a puzzled look on his face.

"Is it that hard to talk about it?" He asked.

"Is it as hard to talk about your own family?" Hermione countered instead of giving him a straight out answer.

"Good point. Continue when you're ready." He said looking down at their hands again.

"Well…I'm a pureblood, as I've been able to gather from researching my parentage here at Hogwarts." She started but Draco interrupted.

"Well that's a no brainer, come now Hermione, show those smarts we all know is in there." He teased.

"If you want me to tell you then you had better not interrupt." Hermione said giving him a level glare while he made a show as to seal his lips.

"As I was saying, gathering information on my real parentage wasn't easy. They only have a few Slytherins, which I'm sure they were, and none of them match to I was looking for. This was the one and only time that the library has ever let me down. So I was born and raised by my real parents until they died when I was two." She hesitated here, unsure as to tell him about her dream from before.

"Go on." He encouraged and Hermione decided that she wouldn't tell him, besides it was probably just a crazy dream.

"After they died I was sent to an orphanage by my neighbor, or so my parents told me, the ones I live with now. They adopted me soon after I was admitted into the orphanage, which is most likely why I don't remember it. And why I thought that I was a muggleborn and not a pureblood. It took them until I was 11 for the Grangers to tell me of my past, and that they were not my real parents. I was heart broken. I had always thought that they never lied to me, then they reveled one of the biggest lies ever. Not that I love them any less or resent them in any way." Hermione said tears beginning to brim in her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Hermione replied quickly rubbing the tears away, no more replaced them.

"Do you know your birth parents names?"

"I do." Hermione said evasively, she wasn't sure if she really wanted to tell him, it just seemed almost to personal.

"Will you tell me?" He asked looking up into her eyes. She nodded.

"My mother's name is.."


	8. Weasels

"My mother and father's last name's were LeStrange while-" Hermione said after a few minutes of stalling but was cut off by Draco going ridged and dropping her hand. The sudden loss of warm filled her with an icy shock.

"LeStrange? As in Bellatrix and Rodolphus LeStrange?" Draco asked his voice full of ice.

"How did you know their names?" Hermione asked confusion coloring her tone.

"They're my aunt and uncle." He said bluntly. Hermione just stared at him.

"As in they _are _my aunt and uncle." He said stressing the word are. He looked up at her and into her eyes. They were full of confusion, and then suddenly a light shone in her eyes. She had realized what Draco was referring to. Her parents were alive.

"Are?" She asked quietly, looking down at her now empty hands.

"Yeah they visit all the time." He said just as quiet.

"So we're cousins? And my parents are alive?" Hermione asked looking up with a desperate look in her dark brown eyes. He looked like he was about to say something but she quickly started talking again.

"You mean to tell me that I was dropped off at an orphanage, have no record of them, and I had to grow up with the GRANGERS?!" Hermione yelled the last words. During her questioning her voice had risen in level until she was yelling at Draco. She quickly stood up from her seat.

"Hermione calm down." Draco said reassuringly. She just shot him a dirty look.

"CALM DOWN!? I just found out that my bloody parents are alive and left me! They bloody dumped me at a muggle orphanage! I could have lived a good life! I didn't need to be living a lie!" Hermione said screaming the words at him. He just gave her a stoney look back.

"Hermione you're being absurd. They probably had a perfect reason-"

"PERFECT REASON?! A bloody perfect reason to dump their daughter as if she meant nothing? A reason to leave her to live a lie? Draco Malfoy I assure you that I am not being absurd. And you, my bloody cousin! I have a bloody crush on you and we are now going out! I am coming with you next time you go home. You had better make sure that your Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange had better be there this Christmas do you got it?!" Hermione yelled. By the end of her rant tears were running down her face at a fast rate, showing no signs of stopping. She turned herself away from him so that her back was to his face

"Hermione I-" Draco said putting his hand on her back. She shrugged him off.

"I don't need your sympathy. Just make sure that what I asked happens. I have some arrangements to change. Oh and Draco, I think that this relationship isn't going to work out." Hermione said walking back towards the castle, tears still pouring from her eyes.

"Hermione wait!" Draco yelled after her but Hermione never stopped. She didn't even look back.

When she made it inside she went straight to the dungeons, there was no way that she'd be going to classes today. She was going to lie down on her bed all day and cry her heart out.

Her parents had just dumped her at that place with no care in the world. They were not dead, at least then she could have accepted it and moved on. Just like she had for the past 4 years. But now there was just more salt in the wounds that never healed.

Hermione just laid there on her bed for what seemed like hours crying before she finally ran out of tears to cry. The anguish she had been filled with by the tears was gone, and in its place was a feeling of hollowness.

She went to her parchment and got her quill. She sat down on her bed again and wrote to the Grangers that she wouldn't be coming home in the 2 days she was supposed to, but rather going to her friend's house for the holidays.

She rolled the parchment up and wiped her eyes, only now realizing that she had worn make-up today and her mascara was all smeared down her face. She made a quick detore from her way to the owlrey the girl's bathroom to wipe at her face.

When she had finally gotten all of the mascara off of her she left the bathroom and walked to the owlrey. She called to a light brown bird that took her letter easily. She gave it a treat then walked off, knowing that her letter would make it to her 'parents' quickly.

She started walking back to the dungeons when she saw a flash of red head coming at her. She quickly dodged behind a pillar but to no avail.

"Come on out Hermione I already saw you." Ginny said much to Hermione's dismay. She didn't want to have to explain to her why her eyes were puffy and red. She didn't want to tell her that Draco and her were no longer together. She didn't want to have to tell her anything that would ruin her day as much as hers had been ruined.

Hermione walked out behind her hiding place and went to Ginny. Ginny gasped at her bloodshot eyes and immediately wrapped her in a hug. Hermione started to cry again, she didn't even know that she had any tears left to cry.

Hermione clung to Ginny like she hadn't clung to anyone in such a long time. Not since that day at the orphanage.

-:-:-:-

"_I said I want my mummy!" Hermione yelled at Ms. Jayne. She had been here for two days and was really starting to miss her mum._

"_I already told you sweety, mummy's not coming back." Ms. Jayne said pateinly._

"_But I want mummy." Hermione said bursting into tears. Ms. Jayne immediately wrapped the little girl in her arms._

"_Sh. There, there sweet child. It's all going to be alright. You'll find that you'll get a new mummy and daddy soon." She said gently._

"_But I-I don't want a new mummy or daddy." Hermione sniffed into Ms. Jayne's shoulder, clutching to the woman for all the support she could get from her._

"_But you'll get a new family and you'll be happy. I promise that they will love you very much." _

"_No. I want my mummy. Not a new one." Hermione sobbed. She clung tighter than before. The terrible truth dawned on the little girl that her mummy and daddy were not going to come back._

"_There, there you poor thing." Ms. Jayne said gently stroking Hermione's back as she cried._

"_There, there." _

_-:-:-:-_

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ginny asked a few minutes later to a now subdued Hermione. Hermione shook her head and pulled away from Ginny. Her eyes that were just slightly red before looked even more horrible than before.

"Not really."

"You'll have to talk about it sometime. Maybe it'll help with your release?" Ginny suggested.

"Draco and I…we're not going out." Hermione said looking down at the floor, a lone tear streaking down her face.

"Oh you poor thing, what did the ferret do?" Ginny asked.

"I told him about my family."

"And he ditched you?" Ginny asked a murderous expression on her face.

"No, no. We're cousins…"

"Oh. To the Grangers or your real parents?" Ginny asked. This brought on another round of tears to where Ginny just held Hermione again.

Finally Hermione stopped crying. Again.

"Oh Ginny my real parents. The ditched me! They're still alive. They've visited Draco but they didn't give a care in the world about my existence. They don't care." Hermione said tears welling up again in her eyes. She brushed them away, she would not cry again, no matter how hard the subject proved to be there was no way she would cry again.

"They just ditched you at the orphanage?" Ginny asked disgusted. Hermione could see the anger and disapproval at someone doing it there in her face.

"Yeah I guess." Hermione said quietly.

"Those-those URG!" Ginny yelled out.

"I can't believe that they did this to you!" Ginny yelled again. Classes seemed to be over and soon people started looking at the murderous Ginny and the red eyed Hermione.

Hermione knew exactly what was going on in their heads.

_What did Ginny do that made the Slytherin ice queen cry?_

_What did the Weasley do to Hermione?_

_OHMIGOD the great Ice Queen has finally fallen._

_Weren't they friends? _

_Did Weasley finally get to his sister?_

_What is going on?_

_Why isn't Hermione yelling back?_

_How could Granger show such weakness, especially in front of this crowd?_

These thoughts came from every house. Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw alike sat there and watched as Ginny yelled and Hermione sat there with red eyes watching her.

"BLOODY IDIOT!" Ginny yelled one last time and looked around. She seemed surprised that there were people watching, as if she hadn't noticed them the whole time she was ranting.

"I've got to go." Hermione said quickly and ran off.

"Hermione!" Ginny yelled, but just like she had done to Draco earlier, she ignored her.

Hermione kept running blindly, not paying attention to where she was going until she ran into something hard.

"Oi watch where it is you're going Granger." Weasel snapped at her.

"Just shut up." Hermione said and tried to pass by. But Weasel wouldn't let her.

"What happened Granger? Someone finally put you in your place?" He taunted.

"Weasel just shut the bloody hell up if you know what's good for you." Hermione said and she tried to go around him again but he stuck his arm around her waist, not letting her go.

"I just want to tell you that who ever it was that showed you your place is a brilliant person. I should have done it years ago."

"Let me go." Hermione said quietly, not even attempting to get away.

"And why should I?" Weasel asked with a smug expression on his face.

"Let her go Weasel." Hermione heard Draco's voice behind her. She didn't even look back but took that moment to get away from Weasel.

"Oi get back here you coward!" Weasel yelled after Hermione. At that moment Harry came into view.

Could my day get any worse? Hermione thought.

"What are you doing calling Hermione a coward Ron?" Harry yelled at his best mate.

"Just letting her know that she's finally gotten what she desirved." Weasel said smugly. Hermione whipped around to see a vexed looking Harry and Draco.

You bloody git!" Hermione shrieked and Weasel turned around and looked at her.

"Stupefy!" Hermione yelled at Weasel's chest, he flew backwards and hit his head on the stone wall. As soon as that happened Hermione felt regret.

"Ohmigod." Hermione whispered.

The only answer was a groan coming from Ron's unmoving form.

"Hermione what've you done?" Harry asked his face paling as he went over to Weasel.

"I-I didn't mean f-for th-that t-t-to happen." Hermione said her lips quivering.

"Well it's happened so I guess we'll be bringing him to the hospital wing. Come here Pothead and help me pick up this weasel." Draco said crouching down next to Weasel and lifting Weasel's arm over his head. But before Harry could get there Hermione already had Weasel's arm around her shoulders and was lifting him.

"Harry grab his feet." Hermione ordered and they made their way awkwardly to the hospital wing.


	9. Change of Plans

"What did you do this time, Ms. Granger?" Madam Pomfrey asked when they dragged Weasel into the Hospital Wing.

"It wasn't my fault!" she said quickly.

"Yes, but it's never your fault, is it?" Madam Pomfrey chuckled.

"So what did he do this time?" she asked, looking over Weasel.

"He was being a git," Hermione said, looking away. Her eyes landed on Draco, who was looking at her with concern etched into his features. Those deep silver orbs of his continued to draw her in, even though she knew they couldn't be together. She turned her head away.

"Do you care to elaborate?" Madam Pomfrey asked. Hermione shook her head no; she was feeling really ashamed at her actions.

"Not particularly," she replied briskly. She glanced back at Draco and looked him over; he looked more tired than usual. Actually, he looked a _lot_ more tired than usual.

"Fine, but I need you all out while I work on Mister Weasley," Madam Pomfrey said, ushering them away. Harry walked out with his face pale.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Hermione said, walking over to him and putting a hand on his forehead. _His temperature is normal, so he must not be sick,_ she thought.

"Yeah. Just worried. You sent a pretty good jinx and Ron…" he said, trailing off.

"Where's that Gryffindor courage that I hear is in your house, Potter?" Draco said snidely. Hermione whipped around to meet his eyes with a shocked expression.

"Draco, how could you be so mean? He's just worried about his friend!" Hermione scolded.

"Hermione…we need to talk," he said abruptly. Hermione had a bewildered look on her face.

"Seriously, Draco, you have more mood swings than a girl on her PMS!" she said, shaking her head.

"Well, then, maybe you wouldn't like to come over for the holidays," he said, glaring. She returned it with an icy look.

"I'll see you later, Harry. Tell me if Weasel is better so that I can get rid of this guilt soon," Hermione said, following a smirking Draco down the hall.

They walked all the way out to the grounds. Finally, they stopped at the edge of the forest, right below a tree.

"What did you want to talk to me about, Draco?" Hermione said impatiently. Draco shot her a dirty look.

"About you coming over. My parents will want to know why you're coming over for Christmas. Not that they'll mind, but they will question why you want to see Aunt Bella. They are very cautious at the moment."

"Tell them I'm a friend from school who really wanted to meet your family. I don't know, you should know what to do. It is your family." Hermione said the last sentence sarcastically.

"You know what? Maybe you really don't need to come over if you're going to be so sarcastic," he said giving her another dirty look.

"When have you known me not to be sarcastic, Draco?" she replied, rolling her eyes.

"Well, help me come up with a plan!"

"No. I already gave you my idea, so come up with your own if you don't like mine," Hermione said, whipping around and walking away.

"Why is it that you never seem to say goodbye anymore, Hermione?" Draco asked.

"Why need to when it's just as easy to walk off?" Hermione called over her shoulder with a smirk on her face.

"Meet me here tomorrow at noon," he called to her. She waved her hand at him to let him know that she heard.

Hermione walked back to the Hospital Wing to see Harry leaning against the wall with a tired expression on his face. When he heard her, he looked up.

"Ron wants to see you," he said.

"Does he even care if _I_ want to see him or not?" Hermione sniffed, but walked into the room and over to Weasel's bed.

"What do you want Weasel?" Hermione said, irritated, standing next to his bed.

"I respect you," he said unexpectedly.

"What? Me?" Hermione asked, confused. He nodded weakly.

"You know what to stand up for, even though you are a bloody Slytherin."

"Huh. Would have never have thought that I'd hear that coming from your mouth," Hermione said.

"Maybe you should pay more attention book-worm," he said, smiling. Hermione couldn't help it; she smiled back.

"I bet I pay more attention than you do, Weasel."

"You're probably right there," he said letting her 'one up' him.

"Ms. Granger, let Mr. Weasley rest. Especially after the knocking you gave him," Madam Pomfrey said, walking in with a bright green potion in her hand. Weasel looked at the potion with distaste.

"Madam Pomfrey, do I really have to drink that?" Weasel complained.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley, and you best not give me any trouble about it," she said and gave Hermione a stern look.

"Good bye," she said and left the room. Hermione started walking around the castle. It was Saturday, and most people were enjoying the outdoors. All of the sudden, she thought of flying. She stopped in her tracks.

Flying? Was she mad? She hated flying, especially on anything to where her feet weren't on something solid, such as a broom.

But she found herself walking again; this time, in the direction of the Quidditch pitch.

Hermione got there a few minutes later and saw Ginny, Fred, George, and another Gryffindor, Lee Jordan, all flying around, playing a small scrimmage.

She sat down on the bleachers and watched while they zoomed all around the pitch. While she watched, Ginny made a goal. Hermione cheered, and everyone stopped. Hermione shut her mouth abruptly. They all flew down to where she was sitting and looked at her.

"Hey, Hermione. Whatcha doing here?" Ginny asked, while Fred and George looked at each other, then her, and glared.

"I just felt like coming down to the pitch when I saw your scrimmage," Hermione said in a nonchalant voice, shrugging.

"Wanna keep score?" Ginny asked.

"Only if those two stop glaring daggers at me," Hermione said, looking over at the twins, whose faces had gone red.

"Oi, you two stop if you want a score keeper!" Ginny said to them.

"She can play, then. We all know I'm the best score keeper around," Lee Jordan said, grinning broadly. Hermione laughed.

"Well, I'd take you up on that offer, but the fact is, I seem to be afraid of brooms," Hermione said, smiling at him. He shrugged.

"At least you agreed that I am the best score keeper."

"No, just the best commentator," Ginny said and laughed along with them. Fred and George were strangely quiet during the exchange.

"Let's start," Fred said, and the others nodded.

"Let the games begin," Hermione said, smiling. They all flew into the air and took their positions.

"Go!" Hermione called, and everyone flew at the Quaffle.

Ginny flew towards the rings where she was going to try to make a goal, but when she threw the ball, Fred was there to catch it.

It went on like this for another hour until George pleaded for something to eat.

The end score was 35 for Ginny and Lee, and 50 for Fred and George.

"Good game mates!" Lee Jordan said to them all when they went down to where Hermione was sitting.

"That was amazing!" Hermione said, smiling brightly.

"I wouldn't call a simple practice game amazing, Granger," George said, cracking a smile.

"I'm serious! You lot were wonderful!" Hermione said excitedly. Ginny laughed while Fred and George rolled their eyes. Lee just smiled.

"You should come keep score for us every time, Granger…especially if that means me and George here winning!" Fred laughed.

"I'd love to. That was brilliant to watch," Hermione said, smiling. She was really happy that the three Weasleys who had come to hate her were now starting to like her again.

"What are you doing for Christmas, Hermione? I'd love for you to come over. Mum wouldn't mind," Ginny said as they all started walking up towards the castle.

"Ron might have a heart attack if he saw Granger here at the house, Gin!" George exclaimed. Everyone seemed to be in a light, boisterous mood after the game.

"Actually, I don't think he'd mind," Hermione mused. All three Weasleys stared at her in shock.

"What I meant was that we had come to an understanding," she said hurriedly.

"Ron, come to an understanding? Too bad I wasn't there to witness that. Boy, I bet hell froze over," Fred said.

"But I'm sorry, Gin, I can't. I'm staying with Draco for the holidays," she said, and looked at the ground. It was Ginny who had comforted her earlier, mainly because of her problem with Draco.

"I thought you two weren't together?" Ginny said, her uncertainty making her statement more into a question.

"We aren't. I just happen to be going to his home for the holidays. As friends," Hermione said.

"But you'd love mum! You could ask him if you could go over at a different time. Please?" Ginny asked, her eyes going big while her lips pointed out in a pout. The perfect puppy dog look. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I don't know. See, we have to do something important…" Hermione said, trailing off.

"Go during Easter holidays. You'd love our house! Please, Hermione? Please, please, please!" Ginny begged, while the twins laughed at her.

"Fine, fine! I'll tell him to make arrangements for another time because I have an annoying red head on my back about going to her house!" Hermione said, laughing.

"YES!" Ginny yelled, and then skipped ahead a little, spun around, then launched herself at Hermione into a tight hug.

"You'll love it! We've got Harry coming, and most likely Lavender! Oh, this'll be so much fun!" Ginny said, beaming, then spinning again. Everyone laughed at her.

"Don't forget that Lee's probably coming too," Fred and George said at the same time.

"Yippy! Another game! We can get Harry and Ron to play too!" Ginny said, in a state of ecstasy. They had made it to the castle at that point, and lots of people were staring at the over enthusiastic Ginny, most of them laughing at her obvious delight.

"Well, I had better go talk to Draco. I'll see you lot later," Hermione said and walked off towards the dungeons. Draco was going to be livid. He hated quick changes of plans, and boy, this was going to be a big one.

She found him sitting in the common room talking to Blaise, who had his arm around a pretty blonde.

"Hey, Draco? I've got to talk to you," Hermione said, coming and sitting on the armrest next to Draco. He looked up at her with an irritated expression.

"I was in the middle of talking to Blaise, if you don't mind," he said, his frustration obvious in his tone of voice. Hermione frowned.

"I just wanted to say that you don't have to come up with a story for your parents. I'm staying the holidays with an annoying redhead who wouldn't leave me alone about it." He looked at her again, this time his eyes flashing with anger.

"What? You had me worrying over what I was going to say to my suspicious parents over _nothing_?" he hissed.

"I'm sorry, Draco. But as I said, Ginny wouldn't let me say no!"

"You're a Slytherin. You should be sly and get out of it!"

"No! Plus, now you don't have to figure out what you're going to tell your parents."

"I already told them I had a friend I wanted over during break," he said dangerously. Blaise and the blonde just looked on in confusion.

"How about Easter? That's a break. I'm sorry Draco, I know you don't like people changing their minds so often," Hermione said standing up from the armrest.

"Fine, but that means you have to come up with the plan," he grumbled, looking back at Blaise, his expression still irritated.

"Thank you," she said and kissed his cheek. She pulled back and he looked at her with surprise.

"Uhh..." he said, and Hermione just smirked at him.

"It was just a kiss on the cheek, Draco. Jeez, calm down. I'll see you later," she said, still smirking, and went up to the girl's dorm.

She got up there and threw her trunk on the bed.

_Now what to bring?_ She thought. Then she felt despair at the fact she had no idea where Ginny lived, or what she would wear!

"Urg! This is a nightmare!" she grumbled before walking out of the dormitory, past a dazed looking Draco and an amused Blaise, on her way to find a small redhead who was going to help her pack.


	10. Snow Day

"Ginny! What am I supposed to pack?!" Hermione complained to her redheaded friend in the Great Hall. Hermione had decided to eat breakfast with the Gryffindors after not being able to find Ginny the night before.

"Just pack something warm, whatever is fine." Ginny said reassuringly.

"Warm? Like scarves, long sleeves, turtlenecks?" Hermione asked worriedly. Ginny just nodded having taken her first bite of breakfast.

"Ok. Thanks Gin." Hermione said taking a deep breath and then sipping her pumpkin juice.

"Granger, what are you packing for?" Weasel asked looking over at her from his spot next to Harry.

"Going to your house for the holidays." Hermione said giving him a sickly sweet smile.

"What!?" He practically yelled. Hermione shot him a innocent look.

"What's the matter Weasel? Upset that your sister invited me for the holidays?"

"You can't come to our house, our mum wouldn't let _you._"

"Well Ron, mum's already said yes." Ginny said smirking, a trait she had picked up from Hermione.

"But she couldn't! There's not enough room for everyone! Harry, Lav, and Lee, and on top of that Granger." He said exasperated.

"Hermione and Lavender will be staying with me, Lee with Fred and George, and Harry with you." Ginny said patiently.

"Your room isn't big enough to hold all three of you!"

"It's a lost cause Weasel, just give in." Hermione said. Ron glared at her.

"I won't give up. I'm not some slimy Slytherin."

"Slimy am I? Ha, that's the best you can do." Hermione scoffed. He just looked away.

"Well I think that I'm going to go pack. Gin will you please, please come and help me?" Hermione pleaded, Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Fine, but there is no way I'm going into your common room."

"Why not, that is where all of my stuff is." Hermione said giving Ginny a confused look.

"Uhg fine." Ginny said and stood up. Hermione quickly followed suit.

"This way." Hermione said and took the lead on the way down to the dungeons. She quickly looked around before uttering the password, metropolitana.

"Underground?" Ginny translated, Hermione looked at her quickly.

"Sh! The others can't know that you know the password!" Hermione whisper-yelled.

"Sorry." Ginny said quickly.

"Ok come on." Hermione said running into the common room and up to the girls dorms. She stuck her head in to see if there was anyone in there, no one.

"All clear." Hermione said walking in and motioning Ginny to follow.

"This is all of my stuff." Hermione said showing Ginny her bed that was overfilled with clothes.

"Do you have enough clothes or what?" Ginny said shaking her head.

"It's not my fault, it's my parents." Hermione laughed.

"Well as I said, pack warm, you'll be staying for the entire holidays?"

"Yep." Hermione said smiling and grabbing her trunk and putting it next to the bed.

"So how about this, and…this. Oh this is pretty, you should pack this." Ginny said picking up clothes and throwing them at Hermione. She folded the clothes and put them in the trunk.

Half a hour later Ginny and Hermione were done with Hermione's clothes.

"Ok, finally we're done! Meet me in the Great Hall tomorrow in the morning, then we're going to the Burrow!" Ginny said smiling and hopping off of Hermione's bed.

"Bye." Hermione said to the retreating Ginny.

_-_-_-_

At the Burrow:

------

"Gin, are we playing Quidditch or what?" Harry asked Ginny and Hermione as they stood outside wrapped up in their cloaks.

"Harry it's freezing out! At least with you guys doing your sport you're warm, but what about the commentator here?" Hermione said referring to herself.

"You're on." Ginny said giving Harry a challenging look. Hermione groaned.

"Did either of you hear a word I said?" She asked.

"Sorry?" Ginny said innocently, Hermione pushed her into Harry who caught her before she fell.

"Hey!" Ginny said while Hermione and Harry laughed. Hermione bent down and picked up a handful of snow, packing it into a tight snowball.

"What are you planning on doing with that?" Harry said eyeing the snowball with distrust.

"Oh nothing." Hermione said smiling and throwing it at Weasel who had just come out of the Burrow's door.

"Ow!" He yelled as it made contact with the side of his face.

Harry, Hermione, and Ginny all laughed while Weasel's face turned red. He bent down on the steps grabbing a handful of snow and made it into a sloppy snowball and threw it back at Hermione but missed and hit Ginny.

"Ronald!" Ginny laughed and threw her own snowball at him. Soon it became a big fight between the four, Hermione and Ginny on one team with Harry and Weasel on the other.

"I give, I give!" Hermione finally said breathlessly.

"Oh no you don't, you're not getting off that easy." Weasel said and pounced onto her with a armful of snow. He dumped it all over her head.

"Weasley, I'll get you for that!" Hermione said laughing.

"I'd like to see the day Hermione." Weasel said laughing. Hermione stopped what she was doing and gave him a puzzled look to which he just shrugged.

"It's hard to call you anything else when all you hear is Hermione." Hermione smirked at his confession.

"Well I see that I win, _Ron._" Hermione said. Then she stuffed the handful of snow that she had hid in her hand, down the back of his jumper.

"AH!" Ron yelled and danced around trying to get the snow out of his clothes. The other 3 fell to the ground laughing so hard. Soon tears started sprouting from Hermione's eyes at the expression on Ron's face.

"Oh-you should-see your- face!" Hermione laughed breathlessly.

"I say we all go in and have some warm butterbeer." Ginny announced while the rest nodded.

"Well actually I think that I may go and change into some dry clothes, I'll meet you guys downstairs in a few." Hermione said and turned to go.

"I think I'll do that to." Ron said and walked behind Hermione. Silently he bent down and gathered another armful of snow. Then he stealthily go closer to Hermione and dumped the whole thing down the back of her shirt.

"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione screeched turning around and smacking him with her green and silver scarf.

"Ow." He complained as he rubbed his cheek. Hermione glared at him then whipped around, smacking Ron again, and marched into the house with all the dignity she could muster.

"What happened to you Granger?" Fred asked from his landing outside of his door, Hermione just glared at him deciding not to answer him. She then marched into Ginny's room where she was keeping her things. Lavender wasn't coming for another week so that she could spend Christmas Day with her family.

She quickly threw her soak garments on the floor and put on a tight knit green turtleneck sweatshirt her mom had gotten her for Christmas and a pair of black sweats. She decided that she could be comfy and warm instead of worrying about her looks for the moment. She then slipped into her blood red fuzzy socks and silver slippers, and then she walked downstairs to meet the others who all had warm butterbeers in their hands.

"Mm. Can you get me one of those?" Hermione asked holding on to the hem of her sleeves to keep the warm in her.

"Here you go Hermione." Ron said beside Harry. Hermione gave him a curt nod and took the butterbeer.

"How do I know this isn't poisoned?" Hermione asked cautiously. Ron rolled his eyes.

"I'd have much better ways of poisoning you than to poison your butterbeer." Ron said.

"Hm. Fine." Hermione said and took a tentative sip, it warmed her right up and she took another sip.

"So tomorrow we were able to get Jordan, Fred, George, Harry, and Ron to join in our scrimmage." Ginny said excitedly to Hermione as they sat down next to each other on the couch. Harry sat in the armchair next to the couch on Ginny's side while Ron sat next to an uncomfortable Hermione.

"I can't wait. This'll be so cool. I never go to the real games because it's far to loud and the violence is horrid." Hermione said back and sent a quick glance at Ron's leg that was flush with hers.

"I know, Jordan's still miffed that he can't be the commentator and has to fly, while you get to sit on the ground and do his job." Ginny and Hermione laughed.

"Why won't you fly?" Ron asked Hermione.

"Because I don't rather like flying. I'd much rather keep my feet on the ground and not my head in the sky."

At that moment an owl came and hit the window in the kitchen making Hermione nearly jump into Ron's lap. Ron shook his head and opened the window.

"Poor Pig, never can tell if the window's open or shut." Ginny said.

"Here Hermione, this one's for you." Ron said and handed her an evelope with elegant script on the front. Hermione was baffled. _Why is Draco writing me while I'm here?_ Hermione thought as she excused herself.

She ran into the hallway and opened the letter.

_Dear Hermione,_

_I wanted to let you know that Easter holidays would be perfect, mum and dad said that they'd love to meet you. How are your holidays with the Weasel and Ginny? Hope you're keeping warm and I'll see you at school. _

_From,_

Draco

Hermione sighed as she read the letter. _At least he's not angry._ Hermione thought as she ran up to Ginny's room to write a reply.

_Dear Draco,_

_That's great! Poor mum and dad won't be seeing much of me this year will they? It's been great here with Ginny and Weasel, who has now started calling me Hermione! Can you believe it? I was so shocked when he said it today that I ended up calling him Ron. I don't think that that'll be happening much more. How are your holidays going? I'm so sorry that I wasn't able to come, I'm happy that I came to the Burrow but I wish that there was a way that I didn't have to choose between you and Ginny. Stay warm yourself and I'll see you at school also._

_Sincerely,_

_Hermione_

Hermione smiled down at her work and ran back downstairs.

"Hey Ron, could I use your owl?" Hermione asked going back into the living room.

"Sure. He's in his cage right now." He said standing up.

"It's in my room, I'll be right back." Ron said and went upstairs to grab his owl.

"Who wrote?" Ginny asked nosily.

"Just Draco seeing how I was and to tell me that Easter holidays would be perfect for me to visit." Hermione said.

"Ok." Ginny said and went back to talking with Harry. A few seconds later Ron came down with his small owl.

"Here you go." He said and handed the owl to Hermione.

"Thanks." Hermione said and tied the letter to the owl's leg.

"I'm so tired, I think I'm going to bed." Ron said and went up to bed.

"Night." They all said. Harry excused himself to and went up after Ron.

"You ready for bed Hermione?" Ginny asked and Hermione and Ginny went to bed.


	11. Letters

A/N: Thanks for the amazing reviews! Oh, and special thanks to FashionStarlet for the amazing idea that she gave me. Thanks FashionStarlet!!!! Uhg, sorry it's so short. Enjoy this next chapter, though it's mainly a filler, but don't forget to review please!

_:_:_:_

"Score!" Hermione shouted as Harry scored on Lee. Even from where Hermione was sitting in the attic of the barn with the window/door open she could see Lee's scowl. It was the next day and Fred, George, and Lee were all on a team against Ginny, Harry, and Ron.

Hermione found herself daydreaming about Draco. She was paying attention to the game but it was not her main focus. Draco was. She started to feel sad as she thought of the fact that now that they were related, they had no future together. She sighed then noticed Lee about to score.

"And Lee Jordan's about to make a score and-SCORE!" Hermione yelled and the twins and Lee roared their approval.

"And it looks like Harry's caught sight of the snitch, no wait George almost has it!" Hermione yelled again then Harry caught the snitch.

"GO HARRY!" Hermione yelled and everyone settled on the snow-covered ground. Hermione quickly scampered down from the barn to where the others were.

"And the winners are-You lot!" Hermione said laughing and pointing to Harry, Ron, and Ginny. The three erupted into cheers while the other three groaned. Hermione just stood in the middle of the two groups and laughed.

"I think that I like this scrimmage better than the other one." Hermione said still laughing.

"Maybe you shouldn't keep score anymore Hermione, We lost!" Fred said frowning but with his lips occasionally twitching up into a smile.

"No it was just Lee's skills that go you down." Hermione teased.

"My amazing skills you mean? Why thank you Hermione." Lee said taking a bow.

"I think she was referring to your lack of there of." George said laughing. Hermione smirked at a now 'shocked' Lee.

"Sorry Lee but you did make the twins loose."

"Uh huh, and you're sure that it wasn't your horrible talent to keep score?" He teased her.

"Oh I assure you that I do very well in counting, unlike some."

"What are you referring to Hermione?"

"Oh, just that some are better than others. Namely me." Hermione said and laughed.

"Yes, you're an all mighty Slytherin aren't you? Well I got news for you Hermione, Slytherin always looses."

"In your dreams Gryffindor." Hermione scoffed.

"Watch the next game why don't you? You'll see who beats who."

"Why watch a game where bloody Gryffindor will be playing?" Hermione said laughing.

"Harry's on the team." Ron said interjecting. Hermione turned and looked at him, ready for another banter.

"Oh and are you implying something Ronald?" Hermione said sneering.

"You do seem to fancy Harry quite a lot don't you?" Ron said smirking at her.

"Sorry Ronald but I don't fancy your lover." Hermione said smirking back with a much more impressive smirk. She heard a shout from Harry behind her.

"I'll assure you Granger, I'm not gay."

"I never said you were, but if you prefer to pitch for the other team…" Hermione said shrugging with a nonchalant face. Ron's face went cherry red at that.

"I-you-bloody Slytherin witch."

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious." Hermione said rolling her eyes.

"Sorry to interrupt your banter but I for one would like a warm shower. I'll see you lot later." Ginny said and walked off inside. Hermione glared at Ron for a second, then something hit the back of her head, hard.

"OW!" Hermione yelled and fell face first into the snow bank in front of her.

She heard laughter from above her and saw all of the boys laughing at her. She glared and saw what hit her. The owl.

"Bloody owl." Hermione said and went to grab the letters, seeing one was for her. Then she threw the rest at Ron.

"Do with it as you please, I'm going to go and read my letter." Hermione said and walked off inside the house up to Ginny's room.

_Dear Hermione,_

_Weasel called you HERMIONE!? Why didn't you tell me that things were getting so bad as that! Weasel should learn that you are above him, a pureblood and not a blood traitor. He should not be calling you Hermione; only the ones worthy of such should be calling you that. Choosing between Ginny and me won't be hard if you always chose me. I miss the banter that we would usually have after I said this, but alas, you are there at the blood traitor's house. Bloody Weasel. Not Ginny though, I have some tolerance for her. She's feisty._

At this point Hermione laughed at that, imaginating Draco laughing as he wrote this.

My point is that though I miss you, and you are most likely being treated wrongly (not by Ginny, but by the rest of those people, who no doubt don't know how to treat a princess in her own realm). Beat the Weasel with a snowball for me will you? I know just how well you are at that.

'_Till we write again._

_Love,_

Draco

Hermione immediately felt confused. _Love?_ She thought. _They weren't supposed to love each other…at least not in the way that she was thinking. They were cousins though. So that would work if he said love, right? _Hermione continued thinking.

She was suddenly emerged in her memories.

_)(_)(_)(_)(_)

Third Year

-=-=-=-=-

"Draco you look wonderful! I can't wait until we get to Hogsmead, we haven't gone together all year." Hermione said jumping up and down in a very unHermionish fashion.

"_Calm down before you break something Hermione!" Draco laughed._

"_I can't! We'll have to go to Honeydukes, Zonko's, and especially Rosemertta's!" Hermione gushed, stopping her jumping._

"_Zonko's? Why not the Quidditch shop." Draco said._

"_May I remind you that they are closed this trip for renovation? We'll go next time. Plus I know you'd just love Zonko's!" _

"_In fact I've been there Hermione. Just because we haven't gone together doesn't mean that I haven't been to Zonko's." Draco said as they walked down the road on their way to Hogsmead. Hermione came to an abrupt halt._

"_Must you ruin my mood Draco?" Hermione said pouting. He smiled._

"_It's one of my favorite past times." _

"_Fine then, I think I'll just go with Neville and search Hogsmead._

"_Don't do that Hermione, you know I was only teasing." Draco said and grabbed Hermione's arm in his hand._

"_Hmph. Fine, but I guess we'll just have to look at the bookstore instead of Zonko's then." Hermione said with a smirk playing at the edge of her lips, Draco still hadn't let go._

"_No, no it's fine. Show me Zonko's Joke Shop to your hearts desire." Draco said dropping her arm._

"_But I thought you didn't want to go to Zonko's?" Hermione said, thinking that she really missed the feeling of him holding her arm._

"_I'd rather there than that retched bookstore you want to take me to." Draco said and Hermione smiled._

"_Then I'll be showing you the wonderful Zonko's Joke Shop. Come on, we'll go there first." Hermione said running ahead and forcing Draco to run after her, the whole time Hermione laughed like a little girl on her first trip to Disneyland. _

_-_-_-_

Hermione came back to reality when there was a knock on the door.

"Hermione, that is my room and I need in there. Now please!" Ginny complained from the other side of the door. Hermione went and unlocked the door (which she didn't remember locking) and Ginny came in right away.

"What took you so long Hermione?" Ginny asked, looking at Hermione with concern at her dazed expression.

"Sorry, I was napping." Hermione said coming up with a quick lie, not wanting to upset Ginny.

"Oh. Okay then." Ginny said and went and sat on the bed.

"Hey Gin? Can I borrow your quill and a piece of parchment again?" Hermione asked. Ginny nodded. Hermione made a hasty reply.

_Dear Draco,_

_Hey be nice all right? I understand your venom towards Weasel, but it's hard to call him Weasel when there is a whole bunch of other Weasleys in the house. I've always known you had a soft spot for Ginny. Well I've got to rush. See you at school._

_Hermione_

"Draco again?" Ginny asked Hermione from the bed.

"Yeah, he's become a pen pall of mine until we get back to Hogwarts."

"Are you sure this is a good idea Hermione? I mean really, this could just keep wounds from healing your breakup." Ginny said concerned.

"Ginny, it's fine. Don't worry." Hermione said. Then they heard a scrambling on the stairs.

"Ginny! Hermione!" Lavender yelled as she ran into the room, throwing the door open. She ran first to Hermione and wrapped her into a tight hug, then ran to Ginny and hugged her.

"Lavender!" Both girls yelled.

"How have you been?" Ginny asked Lavender. Soon they were all catching up with each other.

"Ohmigosh! Did I tell you?" Lavender gushed. Hermione and Ginny both shook their heads no.

"Spill!" Hermione said.

"Well there was this new guy when I went home. His name was Creg. He was a wizard from this school in America. I don't remember what the name of the school was but he was wonderful! He is like, mega tall. Taller than Ron even! And you both know how tall he is. Well he's got the most beautiful blue eyes ever! And his hair is this dark dirty blonde and it's just so adorable!"

"Creg? Sounds like you've got yourself a crush huh Lav?" Ginny said smiling while Hermione smirked.

"How old is he?" Hermione asked.

"Well he's 17." Lavender said looking down. Both Ginny and Hermione gasped.

"17?! Oh Lav, you know that you couldn't date him. He could get in serious trouble then! He's of legal age!" Hermione said while Ginny had a concerned face. Hermione frowned.

"Well…I know. But I can't help it!" Lavender said trying to defend her case.

"We'll think of something." Hermione said in a determined voice and Ginny nodded her agreement.

"Definitely." Ginny agreed.

"Thanks you guys." Lavender said and they started planning.


	12. Annoying Charms

"Draco!" Hermione yelled on the train when she saw him heading to a Slytherin compartment with the usual bunch. Blaise, Crabb, and Goyle. "Blaise! You lot stop will you?" Hermione yelled at them.

None of them turned around or gave any inclination of hearing her.

"Draco Malfoy are you really just going to ignore me?" Hermione yelled again moving closer to the small group. None of them paid her any attention. Hermione's temper flared. This lousy lot would not ignore her; she was not one that liked to be ignored. She ran up to Draco and pulled on the back of his robes. He jerked back and fell on top of Hermione who ended up falling to the floor.

"Uhg!" Hermione yelled as the wind was knocked out of her. A gasping sort of sound was coming from Draco who was trying to catch his breath too.

"What do you want Granger?" Blaise said towering over the two on the floor. Hermione pushed Draco off of her and onto the floor beside her, not that there was much room.

"I just wanted to say hello if you don't mind Blaise." Hermione said glaring up at him, suddenly she felt as if others were looking down upon her so she quickly got up off the floor. Draco had already done so a few seconds before.

"Well what if we didn't want you to say hello? Did you ever think of that?" Blaise said snidely.

"Hush up Zabini." Ron said coming up behind the gathering crowd. He stood behind Ginny who was glaring at any Slytherin who dared look at Hermione.

"I don't need you to defend me. I know perfectly well when I'm not welcome. Good day." Hermione said and gave one last glare at Draco and Blaise. She noticed, and not for the first time that year, that Draco was looking paler than usual and he had a sad look on his face. _Not sad, tortured and pained_. Hermione thought.

"I was just trying to-" Ron said but Hermione cut him off.

"I said I don't need you to defend me. I can fight my own battles perfectly well."

"Hermione?" Draco asked quietly, almost so softly that Hermione wasn't sure that she really heard him.

"You say something?" She asked looking at his sad form.

"Sorry." Was all he said, and then he turned away and into the compartment that he was heading in before. Hermione gave a confused look at the compartment door then shrugged. She looked at Ginny expectantly.

"Hermione are you sitting with me?" Ginny asked as if on queue.

"Thanks for the offer Gin." Hermione said and nodded. They walked to a compartment for themselves, which Ron tried to follow them into but was pushed out by Ginny.

"What do you think that was about?" Ginny asked.

"I have got no idea, but I plan to find out." Hermione said.

"He didn't say anything in his letters?"

"No, why would he? He never even talked about his holidays to me. "

"That doesn't sound to interesting, so you were really the only one supplying conversation?"

"It wasn't so boring when you're used to talking with each other almost everyday."

"True." Ginny said, and then as if a thought suddenly struck her she practically shouted, "Oh! Guess what?"

"What?" Hermione said jumping in her seat at the sudden volume.

"I think Ron's taken a fancy to you!" Ginny said at the same volume.

"EW! What?!" Hermione yelled.

"You heard me. I think that he's taken a fancy to you." Ginny said quieter and quite smugly.

"Ew! How could you even think that? That is so disgusting!" Hermione said waving her hands up and down as if she just touched something vile.

"Hey, cool down a little, he's still my brother." Ginny said sternly but Hermione could still see her eyes that were glinting with laughter.

"Ginervra Weasley! That is so wrong! I can't believe it! You need to get your facts straight! EW!" Hermione yelled. Ron stuck his head in the door. Hermione immediately felt heat rise to her cheeks and a glare get fixated on her face.

"Ronald Weasley I thought you were supposed to be in the next compartment?" Hermione demanded red-faced.

"I heard yelling and I thought that Ginny was killing you. Sorry that my help wasn't needed."

"No your help is not needed, just get that through your thick skull will you?" Hermione almost yelled.

"Jeez, no need to be so touchy." Ron said rolling his eyes. Hermione almost slapped him.

"Hey Ron? I think if I were you I'd leave now." Ginny said looking between Hermione and Ron with worried eyes.

"Yeah Weasel, leave." Hermione said, her voice flat and un-amused.

"Bye Ginny. Bye Granger." Ron left the two girls alone. Ginny looked out the window while Hermione stared angrily at the side of her head.

"Ginny why do you have to be related to someone like him?" Hermione huffed, annoyed with the silence.

"I've got no idea Hermione," Ginny said giggling, "But there are times where I wish he would learn to leave us girls to our business."

Both girls laughed.

_*-_*-_

Hogwarts later that night

D.P.O.V **(A/N: I decided to take FashionStarlet's idea [once again I might add] and do Draco's point of view. I've been thinking of doing this for a while just so that you guys can see what has been happening with Draco. Enjoy **

-*_-*_-*

"Blaise what am I supposed to do?" I asked punching my pillow. Blaise shrugged.

"You're no help," I sighed, falling back onto my bed.

"You're the one who wants to push Granger away, how am I supposed to help with that?" Blaise said smugly. I glared at him.

"Hermione can't be around me anymore. It's dangerous and she could get hurt."

"So? It would be her own stupid fault."

"She's not stupid, eventually she'd find out."

"What that the Dark Lord is coming back this year?"

"And to kill her best friend once and for all." Draco said glumly, knowing that Hermione would never talk to him again if he let this happen. His parents had been on edge all break, complaining that their dark marks were burning. They were worried as to what the burning meant. But no, Aunt Bella wasn't. She was elated and ecstatic; she just couldn't wait for her master to come back to her after all of her searching.

"That's her own fault for becoming friends with the likes of him." Blaise snorted.

"But she's our friend to. What are we going to do Blaise? I can't just push her away; she's not like the other girls. She will come back, and she will continue to do so until she knows what is wrong with us." I whined.

"Then tell her! She should know anyways," Blaise took a minute to think about something, "Plus, who knows, she might join our side. I mean she is a Slytherin, and you guys are related and all that."

"Back off Zabini," Draco said and threw a pillow at Blaise, and it missed. Blaise laughed and Draco just glared at him. Finally Draco threw up his arms and yelled, "I give up!"

_-_-_

H.P.O.V

_-_-_-_

_I wonder what's up with Draco. He was real sweet in his letters; I mean he actually talked to me! And Blaise has never been this big of an arse. I'm going to find out what s up whether it's the last thing I do._ Hermione thought with determination. She stood up from her spot on the couch in the common room and made to go up to the boy's dorm but the portrait door opened reveling the two boys she wanted to see.

"Draco can I please talk to you?" Hermione said calmly ignoring Blaise.

"Bugger off Granger." Blaise said instead.

"I was talking to Draco if you don't mind." Hermione said coolly.

"It's fine Blaise, I'm going to talk to her." Draco said deciding to speak up.

"You don't owe her anything, you don't need to talk to her." Blaise said and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"It will just be a simple conversation Blaise." Hermione said irritated.

"Simple my-"

"Shut it, I'm going to talk to her." Draco interrupted Blaise mid-sentence.

"Fine. I'll meet you in the dorm later then." Blaise said and huffed off. Hermione laughed at his tantrum.

"I forgot how much of a drama queen he could be!" She exclaimed, and then she noticed Draco's indifferent expression.

"Draco I needed to talk to you." Hermione said sobering up quickly.

"Well I got that much." He said sarcastically and Hermione smirked.

"What's wrong lately? On the train you wouldn't even spare me a glance, then Blaise is all over protective of you," Hermione said in a voice that conveyed how much she was bothered by it. "Are you two lovers?!" Hermione asked laughing it off as a joke and Draco actually cracked a smile.

"We are not lovers Hermione, no matter how much you wish otherwise."

"Then will you tell me what is wrong?"

"No."

"Why not? I think that it might help if you tell me."

"No. No it won't."

"Why are you being so pessimistic about everything?" Hermione exclaimed, irritated with the simple answers that really, just didn't answer anything.

"Draco Malfoy I want you to tell me what is bothering you, maybe I can help." Hermione said with a glare settling onto her face. _No matter what he does, he always manages to get on my nerves somehow!_ Hermione thought with her temper steadily rising.

"You can't help. No one can." Draco said and made to leave but Hermione grabbed his arm.

"Oh no you don't. What is it that no one can seem to help with?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

"Bloody hell! Tell me what it is will you!" Hermione ended up yelling.

"I'm sorry but no." Draco said and shrugged out of Hermione's grip and went up to the boy's dorm.

"You-you-UHG!" Hermione yelled and stormed out of the Slytherin common room. She went straight to her most calming place, the library.

She went to the back of the library where no one was likely to find her.

_Boys are so annoying,_ Was the last thought Hermione had before loosing herself in a book.

An hour or so later Hermione was approached by someone, she looked up to see who it was and saw Harry.

"Hello Harry." Hermione said looking back down at her book.

"Hey Hermione, is everything alright?"

"Peachy, why?" Hermione said putting the book down on the table.

"Neville saw you an hour ago storming here with a look that promised murder. He's just now realized that he should tell someone."

"I'm over it now. No problems here." Hermione said behind a mask of happiness, while in all reality she was still furious at Draco.

"You sure?"

"Harry, I'm perfectly fine. There's no need to worry."

"If you sure."

"Just peachy. Oh and Harry, could you tell me something real quick?"

"Yeah?"

"Why is it that you boys can be so annoying?" Hermione said with a smile.

"It's all part of our charm." Harry said laughing.

"Hm, what an annoying charm you have." Hermione said joining Harry in his laughter.

"No one ever said it wasn't. Well I had better get going, bye Hermione." Harry said and stood up.

"Bye Harry. Could you send Ginny back here if you see her?"

"Sure thing." Harry said and left. Hermione looked around and thought about her books back in her room. For Christmas she had gotten a new book, _Storm Warning_, and like her favorite book _Arrow's of the Queen_ it was also by Mercedes Lackey. She stood up and went back to her dorm, destined to get her book.

In the hall she past Ginny, evidently on her way to the library to see what Hermione was up to.

"Oh, hey Gin." Hermione said cheerfully.

"Hey Hermione, I was just on my way to the library to see what it was you wanted?" Ginny said making her statement sounds more like a question than the statement that it was.

"I was just wondering why _you_ thought that boys were so annoying?"

"Is there any explanation as to why you were asking?" Ginny asked smiling.

"Just boys being gits." Hermione said with a small laugh.

"Their charm maybe? Bloody annoying charm at that though." Both girls laughed.

"I suppose so." Hermione eventually agreed.

"Hermione?" Hermione heard from a voice that was all too familiar, Draco.


	13. On Our Way

"Hermione?" Hermione heard from a voice that was all too familiar, Draco.

Hermione turned around slowly, and there he was.

"Yes?" She asked in a standoffish voice, she wasn't going to be ignored by her questions this time.

"I…can we talk?" He asked almost timidly, as if Hermione was going to start yelling at him for suggesting it.

"Sure. Ginny I've got to go for awhile, I'll talk to you later." Hermione said looking back at Ginny to know that she got the message.

"Bye 'Mione." Ginny said and left after a nod at Draco.

"No what is it that you wanted Draco?" Hermione asked in a tired voice.

"I irritated you earlier," He stated, "And it is your right to know what's happening."

"Will you please tell me what is going on?" Hermione asked politely.

"Probably not, but…I should."

"Cut the crap and tell me what's going on."

"Well…I think…the Dark Lord is back." He said the rest in a rush. Hermione just stood there, not sure if she had heard him correctly.

"Dark Lord…as in…He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" Hermione asked slowly, making sure that Draco knew that she wanted complete understanding. Especially with something like this.

Draco nodded slowly as well.

"So…how? How do you know?" Hermione asked.

"My parents…Aunt Bella." He said quietly. Hermione gasped as she realized that their family was Death Eaters.

"What! Oh no. This can't be happening."

"I'll understand if you don't want to visit on Spring Break…"

"No, no. If anything I must get there sooner. We've got to tell Dumbledore! This could be bad, really bad."

"No," Draco said sharply, "We can't. It's inevitable. It will happen no matter what we do."

"Draco that's nonsense, of course we've got to tell a teacher."

"No. This was my secret to share and I will not have it shared with any others."

"Draco that's absurd!"

"Call it what you will, it's still my plan."

"When will he come back?"

"I'm not sure. Soon according to the family."

"I must see them at once. Is there a way for us to get there?"

"We'd be breaking about a million school rules."

"Whatever it take to help stop this." Hermione said with determination while Draco stared at her in awe.

"We can go tonight, though mother and father won't be expecting us. Bring a change of clothing and nothing else."

"Will do." Hermione said and turned around in the other direction heading now towards the Slytherin Common Room. Draco quickly caught up with her.

"Only the necessities Hermione. Nothing that will draw to much attention." Draco said warningly.

"Draco, it's their first impression of me, I simply must look nice." Hermione said smirking with her nose in the air.

"Don't take to long. Meet me in the Astronomy Tower at 11 o'clock." Draco said and turned down a different hallway then the one that Hermione was taking.

She hurried herself to the girl's dorm and looked through her trunk for two sets of suitable clothes. One was a stealth mission outfit that she had picked out to impress; it was a plain black t-shirt with dark gray skinny jeans and a pair of black converse. It defiantly meant stealthy. The other was a white tank top with a black shawl type wrap to keep her warm over it and a pair of light colored flair out jeans. This was what she put in her small bag to wear for tomorrow. She quickly slipped into her stealth outfit and went to the bathroom.

She applied a dramatic eyeliner with a wing that went out "to far" as some would say, and put on a thick layer of mascara. She threw her robes over her outfit so that no one would ask. Hermione then put her curls into a high ponytail.

She smiled at herself in the mirror and realized that she was missing something for her lips, so she quickly put on a nude color lip-gloss that went perfect with her dramatic eye. Hermione walked out of the bathroom with a proud look upon her face and heard the many gasps that came from her fellow Slytherins. She also heard the hurried whispers.

"Is that Hermione Granger?"

"That can't be the book-worm!"

"Granger cleans up good."

"Always trying to one up us isn't she?"

"First Draco now all the rest of the boys. Hmph." Hermione heard the conversation occurring between Parkinson and Astoria Greengrass.

Hermione gracefully ignored them and walked out of the Common Room. She found Ginny out on the Quidditch pitch with the usual croud.

"Oi, what are-HERMIONE?!" Ginny yelled from her broom stick near the goal post and swarmed towards Hermione.

"What happened?" Lee called from the other goal post and followed Ginny.

"Hermione what happened to you?" Ginny asked in awe.

"I…I decided I needed a little makeup today. What do you think?" Hermione said eyeing Lee.

"Dramatic." George said from behind Lee. Both him and Fred had come over when they saw Hermione's form get crowded by Lee and Ginny.

"Is that bad?" Hermione asked, suddenly scared that she didn't do so well.

"No, just different." Ginny said reassuringly.

"Ok. Good." Hermione said letting out a sigh of relief.

"Do you have a date or something?" Fred asked.

"No, just meeting Draco later for…some studying." Hermione said instantly regretting what she said.

"Draco? Hermione I though we solved that." Ginny said instantly frowning.

"We did Gin, it's just a little bit of studying. You know how he is, always a slacker and now he's really behind in-in I think it was Transfiguration? Yeah that's it, Transfiguration."

"Mh hm." Ginny said in a non-believing tone of voice.

"Gin can I talk to you for a minute. Alone, I've got a small problem with studying tonight though, it's about girl stuff." Hermione said and all the boys nodded and left with looks that showed that they did not want to hear what she was going to be talking about.

"Why are you doing that for him. Especially after the way he treated you?" Ginny asked her frown deeper than before.

"I'm not studying, and neither is Draco. We are going to his house there's…there's something important that we need to discuss right now. I can't tell you because Draco made me swear not to. I'm sorry Gin but can you cover for us? Say I came down with the flu, Draco and I got near the pixies while outside getting air and they threw some kind of plant at us, but we're not to sick as to go to the Hospital Wing. Please Gin, I'll owe you forever!" Hermione asked in a rush. Ginny looked at her dubiously then slowly nodded.

"You had better owe me forever though Hermione. This is breaking tons of school rules, you could get expelled." That stopped Hermione short.

"Expelled? I can't be expelled that would ruin my whole life I have planned! Draco Malfoy what have you gotten us into!?" Hermione yelled at the sky. She looked back down at Ginny. "Gin you have to cover good, I mean really good. I can't get expelled."

"When have you ever known me to do a half-wit job?" Ginny asked with a satisfied grin.

"Never but this isn't a time to start."

"Thanks for the confidence 'Mione."

"I'm sorry I'm just suddenly nervous. No thanks to a certain red-headed girl I know."

"Well I'm sorry for making you see reason."

"I should have seen that is the problem. School rules being broken and no one doing anything? That's just a fantasy I forgot to finish." Hermione sighed and looked up at the waiting boys. "I had better give you back now. Bye Ginny."

"Not going to play score keeper today?"

"Not today." Hermione said and walked away. She ran back to the castle, her ponytail bobbing behind her.

"Oi! Hermione wait up!" Ron yelled from somewhere behind her as she reached the doors to the Great Hall, she looked around and sure enough, there he was.

"What do you want?" She asked impatiently.

"I-I was wondering if you wanted-ah-to go to Hogsmead-um-with me sometime." He said stuttering and mumbling with his ears brilliant red. Hermione couldn't help the smug smile that touched her lips, though she tried to hide it behind her hand.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that. I've got to go anyways. Things to do…people to meet." Hermione said as gently as possible.

"Are you sure?" He said looking up from the ground and into her face; his was full of despair.

"Sorry Ronald, I'm not going to say yes. Now good bye," Hermione said and turned around to go back in but a sniff from behind stopped her. "Ron are you alright?" She asked concerned, she hadn't meant to hurt his feeling, that's why she had said it gently!

"I-I'm fine." He said between sniffles and turned away. Hermione rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm.

"You're crying."

"Am n-not." He said wiping away the tears.

"I'm sorry Ron. It's just not going to happen."

"Why not!" He said looking up at her desperately.

"It just won't. I have no attraction towards you, and this is probably just a stage you're going through. Plus who knows there might be another girl out there who has her eyes set on you and would likely kill me if I laid a hand on you." Ron looked thoughtful at this. She let go of him and waved.

"I've really got to go now Ron. Will you be okay?"

"I'll be fine. By the way you look nice today."

"Thanks. Bye." Hermione said and walked off. She felt as if she had just dodged a very dangerous bullet. _I'm going to murder Ginny though, she probably slipped him some love potion._ Hermione thought.

She went down to the dungeons and went up to the dorm, ignoring the whispers she still heard going on about her. She lay down on her bed with her book, _Storm Breaking_, another book by Mercedes Lackey. She read until it was time for her to go. Then she checked the time and grabbed her small backpack, throwing it over her shoulders. She went down to the stairs to the Common Room where there was still a few people talking lazily to one another. She crept by them stealthily and went out the portrait hole.

"What are you doing roaming the halls Miss Granger?" The portrait asked.

"Sorry, I'll just be going to the library, Madame Pince needs my help tonight, though why on Earth she'd pick such a late time. But then you know Madame Pince." Hermione said easily lying to the portrait. He nodded and even chuckled.

"Good lady though. Smart. Good night then." The portrait said and Hermione walked down the hall until the portrait was out of sight and started to take to the shadows.

There was no way that she was going to get caught by a teacher and get sent back to her dorm. No way.

She made it to the Astronomy Tower with in the next few minutes. She was 15 minutes late. She saw Draco's stiff form over at the railing looking down over at the lake.

"Sorry I'm late, had to talk to the portrait." Hermione said and Draco snapped around, his wand out. But when he saw it was Hermione he lowered it.

"Fine, fine. Are you ready?" He asked irritated, he was really on edge.

"Yep." Hermione said taking a deep breath. She was calm as she walked over to him, that was until she saw the broomstick on the railing. "Oh no, are we taking _that_?" Hermione asked her bravery failing her.

"How else did you expect us to get out of Hogwarts?"

"I don't know, but a broom?"

"Yes Hermione, very good. You know how to identify a broomstick. Come on, we've got to get going." He said and threw his leg over it. He patted the little space behind him for her to sit on. She thought it over for a moment before slowly sitting behind him. She gripped his waist tightly, hiding her face in his shoulder. "You really don't like flying do you?" He teased.

"No I don't and if we are going to go then we had better go before I decide that this is all one big bad idea." Hermione replied, though Draco couldn't understand most of it from his shoulder muffling her voice.

"One, two, _three_!" Draco said and they flew off into the air, Hermione gripping Draco's waist tighter as to screaming like she wanted to. If she screamed they would be discovered and never be able to make a difference.

"Hermione, let up will you? You're perfectly safe on here." Draco said in a strained voice and Hermione instinctively let up a bit. The she realized that she was flying and held him tight again, just not as tight as last time.

"Sorry Draco, I don't like this feeling. How long until we reach your parents house?" Hermione asked, distracting herself with questions.

"Few hours, maybe more. It all depends on the weather." Draco replied. Hermione nodded.

A few hours later, Hermione saw a great white house in the distance. She gasped it was grand!

"Is that your house?" Hermione asked. She had taken her head from his shoulder about 30 minutes ago after Draco told her that there was some beautiful scenery she was missing.

"That's the one." He said. They arrived a few minutes later and Draco landed right near a dark ironed gate. She looked at it with distaste; it didn't go well with the house and the-peacocks!

"Wow." Hermione breathed and tried to get off of the broomstick. It didn't work to well and she fell to the ground, her legs wobbly from no use and being in the cold air for so long. "Ouch!" She cried and Draco started to laugh, it was a rich hearty laugh; the kind that he so seldom laughed anymore. "Help me up!" Hermione demanded.

"Bossy little thing aren't you?" He said smirking. She glared up at him and finally he held out a hand to her. She stood up on wobbly legs and looked up at the big house. It really was beautiful.

"Now it's time to greet the family." Draco said and Hermione shivered, that was what she was scared of. "It's not to late to go back." He said temptingly, and Hermione almost took the offer. But when she looked back at the house and thought of Bellatrix LeStrange, the mother she should have had, it gave her a determination that she normally wouldn't have.

"Lets go."

**(A/N: Another chapter done. Hope that you like it. Please review. Yeah click that little button right there and tell me what you are thinking. :] REVIEW PLEASE! )**


	14. Home Coming

They started to slowly walk toward the giant gate. Hermione took a deep breath to steady herself, this was it, she was going to meet her mom…again. Draco reached out and touched a button on the gate, a voice answered.

"What do you want?" It said with annoyance, and it was defiantly a woman's voice.

"It's me and a guest Aunt Bella." Draco said with authority. The gate clicked open automatically. "Come on." Draco said dragging Hermione in by the arm. She found that he took very quick, hurried steps and she had to jog to keep up.

"Draco slow down, I will not meet these people breathless!" Hermione said sternly and he slowed his pace. Now they were walking at a quicker pace through the snow white peacocks towards the giant mansion that stood before them.

The reached the door and Hermione stared at the intricate patterns on the door. Then a house elf came to the door.

"Master…Mistress. Master is supposed to be at school, why is Master here?" The house elf asked.

"Not now, show us to Mother and Father." Draco said pushing past the elf. It bowed deeply and then started to walk out of the main entrance. Hermione was hurriedly doing her hair again, back into a high ponytail so that it didn't look as windswept as it should be looking after a long ride on a broom.

"Wait Verney. Show Hermione to the restroom before she meets Mother and Father," Draco said looking over at her. "Don't take to long Hermione, you are the one that wanted to come."

"Thanks Draco." Hermione said sighing with relief, now she could at least look all right when they met her, even if they didn't like her, she'd still have her dignity.

"This way Mistress." Verney said and started walking down a separate hall than the one that they were on. It was a long hall decorated with pictures all the way down it. Verney brought her to a door about 3 doors down from where she just was with Draco. He opened the door for her and held it open. "Here you go Mistress, call when you are ready to meet Master Draco." He bowed and left with a crack.

The bathroom was extraordinary. It was all white with marble sinks and a huge bathtub. The bathtub doubled as a Jacuzzi and had colors for the bubbles when you took a bath, just like Harry described the Prefects Bathroom to be like. It was beautiful on the whole. She quickly went over to the mirror and pulled her hair out of its ponytail holder and brushed her hands through it. She gave up on that quickly and took her brush out of her small bag and brushed it up into a high ponytail that looked much better than a moment ago.

She then re-applied her makeup that had faded on the broom ride here. It only took her 2 minutes when she said nervously, "Verney? Could you bring me to Draco?" _I feel so stupid. I'm talking to thin air!_ Hermione thought then a crack sounded outside the bathroom door and she heard a knock.

She opened the door to see Verney standing there.

"Mistress is ready?"

"Yes." Verney lead Hermione back down the hallway and through the hallway that she was originally taking and into a big room, a living room. In the middle were 4 people. They all seemed to be arguing with one another. There were 3 blonde haired people; a beautiful woman with light blonde hair that went down to her waist, Draco, and an elegant man with long blonde hair to his shoulders. These were Draco's parents and himself. The fourth member of the little group was a brunette with crazy curls, her expression promised violence. That was Hermione's mother. Bellatrix LeStrange.

Hermione gasped.

Everybody turned at once and looked at her, and then Bellatrix gasped. But her gasp was one of shock and anger.

"What are you doing here?" She screeched. Hermione just stared for a moment, and then gathered her wits about her, but not much.

"Bellatrix LeStrange?" Hermione asked.

"What are you doing here?" She asked again.

"You are Bellatrix LeStrange?" Hermione tried again with a louder voice this time.

"Yes I am. Tell me why you are here!" Bellatrix yelled. Hermione took a step back, shaking her head. She couldn't get her head around the fact that she was talking to her mother, the one that left her at an orphanage.

"Why?" She asked distressed.

"Because this is my house! Draco why did you bring her here!" Bellatrix yelled turning towards Draco.

"Because she is here to discuss something with the rest of us Aunt Bella." Draco said calmly then gave Hermione a glare. She glared back and Bellatrix thought that she was glaring at her.

"You dare glare at me!" She screeched. Hermione laughed, she didn't mean to but the fact was that she didn't think that Bellatrix knew how to talk in a normal voice. This seemed to drive Bellatrix to exrtremes and she jumped at Hermione who had barely enough time to jump on to the floor to her right.

"What was that for!" Hermione yelled standing up and whipping her wand out.

"Hermione calm down!" Draco yelled at her and ran over to restrain her. But he didn't need to, Bellatrix had stopped the second that he had said Hermione's name.

"What is your name?" Bellatrix asked in a deadly quiet voice.

"Hermione Granger. It was Hermione-" But she was cut off by Draco snapping a hand over her mouth and giving her a warning look. "Mrcr meh mo!" Hermione tried to yell but was unsuccessful so she bit his hand.

"OW!" He yelled.

"That'll teach you to cover my mouth again Draco Malfoy. As I was saying was-"

"Shut up!" Draco yelled at her. Hermione looked over at him with irritation.

"Why should I?" Hermione said defiantly.

"Yes why should Hermione stop from saying her name? She is a LeStrange." Bellatrix said quietly. Hermione snapped her head towards the person who gave birth to her.

"Why did you dump me in an orphanage?" Hermione asked accusingly.

"We didn't want you." Bellatrix said simply, just as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

"You denied me my birthright! You had no right to do that! You kept me away from a family; I never knew I was related to this twit! You know that we've kissed? It is horribly sick to think that I've kissed my cousin." Hermione said glaring at Bellatrix. She had said all of this very calmly in a louder voice than she would normally use.

"Birthright? What was your birthright child?"

"Don't call me child."

"Why not? Am I not the woman who gave birth to you?"

"You may have given birth to me but you have no right to call me child. I am not a child."

"You are to young to be telling me I have no right. You have accused me of quite a bit and I don't appreciate it. You have no birthright, and if you did it would be to serve the Dark Lord."

"Ah, now can we get back to the business at hand Aunt Bella?" Draco said smoothly intervening before Hermione could reply. But all he got was two terribly dirty looks from Hermione and Bellatrix.

"I should have grown up knowing who my parents were. Known them and not just their names. I should have known the family that I had hidden from me for most of my life." Hermione said looking back at Bellatrix.

"You don't need to know anymore about us than you already do. And as for family you only have Sirius Black who is on the run." Bellatrix said tauntingly.

"What are you talking about? I have Draco too…right?" Hermione said, uncertainty coloring her voice.

"What are you talking about? Draco is not my son!"

"But he is your nephew."

"He's my godson, not my nephew."

"Oh my god." Hermione breathed, then she looked at Draco who looked confused.

"He's just always called me Aunt."

"Oh my god." Hermione repeated, then she jumped at Draco. She wrpped him in a tight hug then let go and turned back to Bellatrix.

"We all need to talk. Together. That includes you too Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy." She said turning to them. Both nodded.

"Go on in. We'll be there in a moment." Draco said. Hermione looked at him in puzzlement. _Isn't the fate of the world and my best friends life at stake here and he wants us to wait!?_ Hermione thought.

Draco walked right over to her and wrapped her into a tight hug. Hermione immediately understood and hugged him right back. He kissed her cheek and the grabbed her hand.

"This is much better." Draco said smiling a real smile. Hermione nodded.

"We had better get in there though, there is something that we need to prevent from happening." Hermione said and pulled him towards the room.

"Just one more second." He said and pulled her close again. But this time he didn't just hug her he kissed her. It was a sweet and simple kiss that only said everything that needed to be said between them. Hermione could feel her cheeks warming up, and a smile forming on her lips.

"Okay now we've really got to go." Hermione said, forever the responsible one.

"Do we have to?" Draco complained.

"I think we do, or else we could have just left them in peace." Hermione laughed and danced away from him towards the doors in which Bellatrix and the older Malfoys had disappeared into. Her mood was soaring; she was so elated at the past few minutes.

"Wait a minute, come back!" Draco laughed and ran after her. Hermione slowed and he caught up; they walked into the room together and sat down beside one another at the big table in the center of the room. Everyone's head looked at Hermione and she realized that it was her that was going to be doing most of the talking.

"So…Lets start from the beginning," Hermione started and looked at each one of them in turn. "I have heard from Draco that He-Who-Not-Be-Named is coming back. I just want confirmation."

"The Dark Lord is on the rise!" Bellatrix hissed with a evil smile on her face. Hermione thought about how these people looked. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy exchanged looks of worry between eachother.

"I'm hear to…uh stop this. We can't let it happen. It'll-"

"The Dark Lord _will_ rise!" Bellatrix hissed again except this time she was rising from her seat a death glare attatched to her face.

"Aunt Bella control yourself." Draco said rising from his seat.

"You will never be able to stop Him! He will rise and we will once and for all get rid of the filthy mudbloods." Hermione couldn't stop herself and pulled out her wand.

"There are no mudbloods, only muggleborns Bellatrix.." Hermione said in an icy cold voice. Draco gave her a warning look but Bellatrix just laughed.

"You dare pull your wand on me!" Bellatrix laughed at Hermione who looked at the crazy woman with distaste.

"You know what? I'm glad that you didn't raise me. You are a hateful person and will be stopped, whether you like it or not." Hermione said and put her wand away. She looked over at Draco and told him, "I think that we can go now. I can obviously see that I'm getting now where here and I need to find somewhere else to say what we need to say." Draco nodded at that and they turned to go out the hall. Verney popped up in front of them and led the way out of the house.

"Thank you for coming home Master, Mistress. Good bye." Verney said and shut the door. Hermione looked at Draco with new tears in her eyes and he put his arms around her.

"What's wrong Hermione?" Draco asked softly.

"We're going to loose. Draco we're going to _loose!_" Hermione sobbed. It took her a few moments but soon she straightened up and walked out to the gate with Draco holding her hand.

"Are you up for flying?" Draco asked concerned. Hermione nodded.

"We should just get it over with. There's no need to be standing here any longer. They'll be missing us at school." Hermione said softly and got on the broom that he was sitting on.

"Alright then." He said and lifted off the ground. Hermione was lost in thought as she held tight to his waist.


	15. Oh No

**A/N: Well here we go, sorry it took so long for me to update! School's been a wreck lately and I just couldn't seem to get a break long enough to write this. I know that in the 4****th**** book they don't know about the R.O.R but I decided that it fit for the scene I put in there (: Oh and check out my Profile please, I'm wondering if I should continue on with a sequal to this story, I've already finished the last chapter I just have to find the time to write it all out. Well I hope you like it(:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, though sometimes I really wish I did(;**

Hermione couldn't see straight. Tears blinded her vision for most of the ride back to Hogwarts. She clung to Draco tightly.

She doesn't care about me. She never has, she just dumped me at an orphanage. Never even thought of me until tonight. She didn't want me. She said it right to my face. Hermione thought with sobs wracking through her body.

"Hermione it'll be alright." Draco soothed from in front of her and she nodded her head numbly against his shoulder, which was soaked.

Hermione was quiet during the rest of the ride back, except for the occasional sniffle.

"We're here, you ready to get off now?" Draco said when they landed on the Astronomy Tower at about 8 in the morning.

"Can you help me?" Hermione asked with a hoarse voice. She remembered how she felt earlier when she got off of the broom and she didn't want another episode of that.

"Sure." Draco said and got off the broom only to turn around and hold out his hand. Hermione took it steadily and got off of the broom. She landed hard in Draco's arms and she held on to him while the world stopped shaking.

"Thank you. For everything, I don't know what I'd do with out you sometimes." Hermione said looking up at him. She slowly backed away from him and thought that now was a good time to head to breakfast.

"We need a cover story." Draco said as Hermione's stomach grumbled.

"We went to the Astronomy Tower to practice some spells for Transfiguration last night and fell asleep after cooling off." Hermione said matter of factly, wiping the remaining tears away.

"You should probably wait a minute before you go down there, your eyes are all red." Draco said.

"I know. If you could go down for a moment, I'll meet you at the R.O.R after I've changed. By then my eyes should have cleared." Hermione said and Draco nodded.

"I'll meet you there in 10 minutes, and if your not there I'm coming up to check on you." Draco warned before leaving. Hermione quickly changed into the outfit that she had packed into her bag for Draco's house. It took her less than 5 minutes and she met Draco right outside the ROR in the last 5 minutes.

"I'm ready, are you?" Hermione asked breathing deeply.

"I am, are you sure that your ready?" Draco asked concerned.

"Just shut up and lets go." Hermione said and started towards the stair case.

Hermione and Draco walked into the Great Hall and everyone's head looked their way then away. That was, except for Ginny and Blaise who continued looking with confused looks on their faces. Ginny got up from her spot at the Gryffindor table and walked to the Slytherin table where Hermione and Draco were now seated.

"I thought you guys weren't coming back until later." Ginny said sitting next to Hermione.

"We were. New plan though, we were practicing Transfiguration in the Astronomy Tower last night, and then we fell asleep. And here we are." Hermione said in a stiff voice.

"What's wrong with you?" Blaise asked Hermione.

"I…nothing," Hermione said looking at the food in front of her and finding some toast. She buttered it in silence while everyone (Blaise, Ginny, and Draco) watched her, waiting for her to elaborate.

"Hermione, how did it go?" Ginny asked quietly with concern lacing her voice.

"Bloody awful if you ask me. Aunt Bella nearly hexed Hermione's arse!" Draco said glaring at his pumpkin juice.

"What?!" Blaise and Ginny said together.

"Yes. Bellatrix is a right evil person and tried to curse me. Luckily I didn't tick her off so bad." Hermione said in a sarcastic voice.

"What happened 'Mione?" Ginny asked.

"I just told you. I don't know why I even wasted my breath; they pr-" But Hermione was cut off as Draco's eagle owl landed in front of him.

"It's mum and dad," Draco said and opened the letter. Hermione gave the owl some granola that was on the table and it flew off.

"What does it say mate?" Blaise asked. Draco handed it to Hermione, completely ignoring Blaise.

Draco,

We thought about what that friend of yours said about the Dark Lord and we have decided. We can help you, owl us back and we'll do anything in our power to help. Burn this after reading.

Mum and Dad

Hermione jumped out of her seat with a loud "YES!" Then tackled Draco and giving him a hard kiss.

"Your parents are bloody brilliant!" Hermione yelled, the letter burning up on the floor behind her. Her arms were still around Draco and the onlookers, aka the Great Hall, stared on in confusion.

"Yes?" Ginny asked, Hermione turned around and looked at Ginny, her arms sliding from Draco's neck. But Draco wouldn't let her go and grabbed Hermione's hand.

"Draco's parents are on our side," Hermione said smiling brightly. Ginny did the exact same thing as Hermione, except kissing Draco, deciding instead to run at Harry who was making his way over with Ron to see what was going on.

"Who, what's with all the excitement?" Harry asked smiling as he held Ginny around the waist.

"Draco and Hermione got back together," Ginny said and Hermione blushed when Draco pulled her onto his lap.

"That's obvious." Ron said rolling his eyes.

"Well sorry guys, Draco and I need to run to the common room for awhile, and I personally want a quick shower before class, so we'll see you later." Hermione said jumping off of Draco's lap, then pulling him along behind her.

"Bye 'Mione! See you later!" Ginny yelled after Hermione's retreating form.

Hermione and Draco went downstairs to the dungeons and to the common room. Hermione immediately went to her dorm and grabbed some ink and a piece of parchment. She came out a moment later, both in her hands.

"I thought when you said you wanted to be alone, it implied something more than writing." Draco said rolling his eyes.

"We need to write to your parents Draco." Hermione said blushing and sitting down right next to him on the couch. He immediately latched on to her left hand and Hermione set the ink and parchment down on the coffee table and turned towards Draco. Draco took advantage of the fact that he wouldn't get all over him and kissed her.

It took awhile before Hermione's brain to remember why they were in the common room to begin with when she gently pushed Draco away smiling when she saw Draco's pouting face.

"We've got a job to do." Hermione said giggling, Draco just smirked.

"The sooner we get this done, the sooner we get back to more pressing matters." Draco said earning a rival smirk from Hermione.

"What do we need?" Hermione asked.

"How am I supposed to know? You're the one who wants to save the entire Wizarding World." Draco said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Hermione hit his arm playfully.

"Well it's nice to know your there for me Draco." Hermione said with a roll of her eyes.

"Of course!" Draco said, earning a laugh from Hermione.

"Well let's start with what we know." Hermione stated.

"List away."

"Well…Wormtail, er, Peter Petigrew, must be with Voldemort. That is, at least according to Harry he is."

"Go on, this is so interesting."

"A little more enthusiasm would be appreciated Draco, I am saving your arse as well as everyone else's. And always remember, I could go discuss this with Harry."

"Woo-hoo, Wormtail's with Voldemort! Happy now?"

"Brilliantly so," Hermione said smiling, "so Wormtail's with Voldemort, so I think that it would be safe to say that it was Wormtail who was bringing Voldemort back…but how? Any ideas?"

"I don't know. Maybe some kind of potion, we could always go ask Professor Snape."

"Well unlike you, Snape is not my favorite teacher. So I think we'll just hypothesis that it'll be a potion. Hm, I wonder what kind of potion that will bring you back to a human being again."

"No idea."

"Well you're no help at all, remind me again why I brought you down here with me again?"

"Because you love me?" Draco said with a smirk.

"That's what it's called? We'll just go with that then," Hermione said with a smirk of her own. "I'm thinking that we might need a port-key from your parents, that is so that they can get here in case we need their help in a jiffy."

"Can do, we've got plenty of things around the house that we could use."

"Great! Can you write that down for me Draco? I have to think of more things we might need…We should probably tell Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said shooting a side ways glance at Draco who immediately shook his head no.

"Gosh, we might need to! What if telling Dumbledore is the only way to save Harry and the rest of the world?" Hermione huffed.

"Well then poor world, Potter'll find a way to save it. Always does, stupid golden boy…"

"Draco, I would like to remind you for the umpteenth time that Harry is my friend, and I would rather like it if you treated him lets say…more the way you treat Gnny. Please?"

"There is no way that me and Pot-head will be getting along anytime soon."

"Just be civil will you? Besides, this isn't just about Harry, it's the whole world at stake here!"

"Fine. Continue with your list."

"Well…oh no. I think that I might have found out how they'll be getting to Harry."

"How?"

"The cup. Remember what a port-key will do? I…I think that the cup's a port-key. Oh no. Draco we have to go tell Dumbledore! Harry's entered the maze ages ago! We have to go!" Hermione said jumping straight up out of her seat. Draco tried to grab at her hand but she just turned to look at him, not letting him get her hand.

"Draco, I know you don't want him to know but I have to tell him. It's out of our hands now."

"No, it's just a theory of yours, you don't even know if it's true."

"Draco, there is a time where you just have to suck it up and be a man. This is one of those times. Suck it up, there's nothing bad that will happen if we tell them, actually I bet that Dumbledore will keep you safe. Now I'm going, if you want you can come with me, but there's no way that you will be able to stop me." Hermione said with determination in her voice. Draco looked away and tears started to swell up in Hermione's eyes and she looked away. Then she felt a hand in hers and she looked back to see surrender in Draco's silvery eyes.

"Let's go." Draco said, the surrender in his voice as well.

"Thank you." Hermione said and pulled him along with her, on her way to the Quidditch pitch where the maze was. Hopefully Dumbledore was still at his seat at the judge's table.

Hermione started to run, Draco's hand releasing hers, making it less of a hassle to run as fast as it was that they needed to go. They needed to get there in time to make sure that there was someone who could help Harry.

Both students finally made it to the area where the maze was located, and immediately saw that the judges table was full, and there was Dumbledore, his long silver beard swaying slightly in the breeze.

"Professor! Professor Dumbledore! Dumbledore!" Hermione and Draco yelled as they ran across where the champions had no doubt entered the maze, only hours before. They had made quite a scene but the person who they needed attention from most still couldn't hear them.

"This is useless," Hermione said coming to a halt, "Sonorus. Ah yes that's better. Professor Dumbledore, we need you to pay close attention to what we are about to say." Hermione said, her voice amplified as she began running towards the judges table. Finally after a minute or so, Hermione and Draco made it there together and Hermione used the counter-spell for Sonorus.

"My dear lady, what could it be that you had to attract the attention of every student present?" Cornelius Fudge asked.

"No time Minister, Professor we have reason to believe that Harry is in danger of Voldemort's return and that the Twi-wizard cup will bring him right to the hands of Voldemort. Please, you have to help us. He might be there already!" Hermione said panting now.

"Ms. Granger, how can you explain this?" Dumbledore asked, concern etched across his face, making him look his ancient age.

**(A/N: I really don't know how old Dumbledore is and for all you Dumbledore fans *cough* like me *cough * I do not mean any disrespect for Dumbledore. I am just using the word ancient for the fact that from how J.K. describes him, he can look really, really old. Thank you and enjoy!)**

"No time for explanations, we've gotta save Harry!" Hermione said exasperated. Then cheers erupted all around her and she turned around to see Harry hunched over something on the ground in the winner's circle. "Thanks Dumbledore, now were to late." Hermione said before rushing straight to Harry with Dumbledore hot on her heels.


	16. Sneaking

A/N: Hey, guys. I'm super sorry that I haven't updated in so long! I've been so busy with things lately that I haven't been able to write. Sorry again, how you like this last chapter of 'On the Other Hand'.

**Recap (in italics)**

"_No time for explanations, we've gotta save Harry!" Hermione said exasperated. Then cheers erupted all around her and she turned around to see Harry hunched over something on the ground in the winner's circle. "Thanks Dumbledore, now were to late." Hermione said before rushing straight to Harry with Dumbledore hot on her heels._

Hermione made it to Harry within seconds.

"Harry, Harry! Are you alright?" Hermione asked hurriedly. But when Harry tried to answer it came out in great lurching sobs. He wouldn't move and he was holding on to something… _oh no._ Hermione thought. It was Cedric Diggory. Hermione felt her throat close up looking down upon the scene before her.

"Hermione!" Draco called running up to her; he was much quicker in establishing what Harry was lying across than Hermione was. "Bloody hell,"

"Harry, Harry answer me please?" Hermione said shaking his shoulder as tears streamed down her face.

"He's back. Hermione he's BACK!" Harry sobbed still clutching to Cedric's motionless body.

"Out of me way!" A voice was heard from behind Draco, and then Draco was being pushed back from his place right behind Hermione.

"Professor Moody!" Hermione exclaimed when she was roughly pushed away from Harry.

"Come on boy, let's get you out of here. No, no leave the body, Dumbledore will take care of it." Moody said lifting Harry up by the armpits and Moody threw Harry's arm over his shoulder. "Come on Potter, there we go. Just walk."

"Professor, you can't take Harry! Professor Dumbledore will want to make sure that he's alright!" Hermione called but Moody acted like he couldn't hear her. "Professor!" She tried again, but with the same results as before.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Draco said turning her around; she looked up at him with tear tracks still rushing down her cheeks.

"He died, Draco…he died," Hermione said and then threw her arms around Draco's neck. "Follow Moody for me Draco, he's up to no good." Hermione said softly with her lips right at Draco's ear. He nodded, but barely so that anyone looking would have just thought that he was saying consoling words of comfort.

"I'll be back for you later then," Draco said and started to follow the backs of Harry and Moody.

Draco P.O.V

Up ahead we Potter and Moody and Draco rushed to keep up with them; it was almost as if the Professor didn't want to be followed by anyone. Draco kept stealth like in the shadows, barely making a sound. There was once or twice where Moody looked back, as though he sensed someone following him but Draco would jump into the shadows before he was caught.

It was quiet through the halls and it seemed that no one had noticed that Potter was gone yet. Finally they reached the Professor's room in the D.A.D.A room. Draco quickly threw an extendable ear near the door and remained hiding in the shadows.

"Potter, I want you to tell me everything that happened," Draco heard Moody say rather gruffly.

"Oh Professor, he killed him! He _killed_ him!" Potter said with a harsh whisper.

"Who boy?"

"Oh Professor, Voldemort is back!" Harry said and Draco drew in a sharp breath, everything that he and Hermione had suspected was true. He quickly stood up and started running to the grounds again. _I need to learn how to apparate inside this castle, I'm tired of this entire running business! It's ruining my hair!_ Draco thought as he ran into someone. He looked at the person who had fallen down and realized that it was Professor McGonagall. Quickly two people ran past while McGonagall was still on the floor.

"Quickly Mr. Malfoy, help up off of this floor!" McGonagall said sharply. He bent down and gave her his hand, which she took with a smile. When she was up, she rushed by without another word and followed the two who had rushed past. Draco identified them as Professors Dumbledore and Snape.

"Where's Hermione!" Draco shouted after her but she ignored him and turned the corner from which he had just come running around. He decided that if he was going to get any answers that he would just have to follow the Professors. He started to walk quickly back to the Defense Against the Dark Arts room was and saw that the door to Moody's office was open and there were loud voices issuing from inside.

"This is the real Alastor Moody, and I hope that Barty Crouch's image of him has not tarnished what is really Alastor." Draco heard Dumbledore's voice from somewhere away from the door and he opened the door to where he could see in. Potter was staring at a trunk that seemed to have a deep depth inside of it and there was a man in robes much to large for him over on the floor; he seemed to be unconscious.

"Professor, who is that man?" Draco asked looking at the unconscious man, almost immediately three heads turned towards Draco; but he wasn't intimidated, he stood his ground and looked at Potter for a quick moment then realized that Potter was almost as white as a ghost.

"Mr. Malfoy I would like it very much if you could go down to the Great Hall with the others, we are busy here for the moment," Professor Dumbledore said in a grave tone. Draco knew when he had been dismissed and he walked out of the office and through the Defense Against the Dark Arts room. He took his time on his way to the Great Hall, thinking through everything that had happened today…

_Hermione's P.O.V._

Everyone was speaking loudly as they were escorted into the Great Hall. Hermione was surrounded. There was Blaise, Ginny, Ron, Fred, George, Lee, Lavender, and of course, Crabb and Goyle. They were all talking at once and over each other trying to get Hermione's attention. But if they would all be quiet, they would find out that they all wanted the same thing: for Hermione to explain how she knew something was going to happen and go to Dumbledore.

"Shut up!" Hermione finally burst, right as the Great Hall doors opened revealing Draco. He stood there like he owned the place, his blonde hair just slightly in his eyes; his head was held high, and his eyes searching. Finally he laid eyes on what he was looking for and made his way over to Hermione.

"Hello," he said and sat down on the bench to the right of Hermione.

"Draco, what happened to Harry?" Hermione asked and everyone was quiet, all waiting to see what he found out. Draco looked up at Hermione and shook his head, and she quickly took his hand. "Please? We all want to know."

"It's not that I won't tell you, it's more of the hell that he's been through tonight," He said and took a deep breath, "He saw the Dark Lord, I mean he really faced him. He watched as his buddy Diggory was killed. And now there's this unconscious man who apparently wasn't the Moody who was teaching us all year, and the real Moody is in this really deep trunk. How's that for wacko?" Draco said.

"Really? He faced He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" Lee said, and that started everyone else off on their own questions, once again all talking over each other to be heard first. Then Dumbledore was at his post looking down at everyone and the room became deathly quiet.

"We have had great tragedy tonight, but I shall not speak of it tonight and ruin your dreams. _In dreams, we enter a world that's entirely our own. _I would not want those worlds tarnished by the horrible things that must be said, and the terrible truths that rest ahead. _The truth is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with caution._ I want all the prefects to take their respective houses back to their common rooms. Good night." **(A/N: The things that are in italics and that are said by Dumbledore are his quotes that I found.) **Dumbledore said and the prefects started to direct everyone back to their common rooms. The Gryffindors left and Blaise, Draco, Hermione, Crabb, and Goyle all followed their prefect towards the Slytherin common room.

"Hermione wait up!" Draco called as she went a little ahead of him. She turned around and stopped, waiting for him to catch up.

"Yes Draco?" Hermione asked.

**A/N: Ooooooo, suspense! I've decided that there will be one more chapter after this one and I will be as quick to update, as I am able to. Please review your thoughts, and once again I will apologize that I haven't updated in so long. Please tell me in a review if I should go ahead and go on with a sequel. I need to know so that I can go ahead and start planning, I've already got the next chapter planned out and I hope to get it up soon. And go ahead and tell me what year this should be in; I was thinking either 5****th**** or 6****th**** because I can add Draco real well into them. So please review! I'm hoping for a hundred reviews (; well thanks for reading!**


	17. Finito

**Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me except for the plot of which I will claim as mine. I am just borrowing J.K's beloved characters for my personal entertainment, and hopefully yours.**

**A/N: Alright, I know how many of you like this story (thank you) and I'm just wondering why you don't review? Will you please review at least for this final chapter? Thank you and I hope you have enjoyed 'On the Other Hand'. Oh and I know that last chapter was a short one, and I'm sorry to say that this one probably will be too, sorry. Please Review! (:**

Draco P.O.V

"Yes Draco?"

"Do you want to take a walk?" Draco asked, thinking quickly. He wanted to have some more time with her; actually, what he really wanted to do was have a private conversation with her. Of which he wouldn't get in the common room.

"Draco, we just found out that Voldemort is back, and Professor Dumbledore wants us all to go back to the common room. I'm sorry, but I'm also very emotionally drained and I need to go to sleep. Can't we just take a walk later, like tomorrow?" Hermione explained with a small frown.

"Alright, but we'll need to take one tomorrow." Draco responded, slightly disappointed. _Hermione and her bloody rules, she should live free one night… this night._ Draco thought to himself.

"We can walk back to the common room together if you'd like?" Hermione said standing beside him, letting her hand brush against his. He nodded and took her hand in his.

"I'd love to 'Mione." Draco said and they walked to the Slytherin common room together, holding hands.

"Infrange le regole." Hermione said when they reached the entrance to the common room. _We are Slytherins, and even our password seems to like to break more rules than she does._ Draco thought. "You know, I wish I was wrong…" Hermione whispered, it was almost to soft for Draco to catch it.

"What was that?" He asked her looking at her as they walked through the portrait hole.

"I wish I was wrong. Earlier, you know? When I thought of what was happening to Harry… I just wish that I had been wrong." Hermione whispered, but this time she was loud enough for him to hear. They went to a secluded corner and sat down on some chairs next to each other.

"It's going to be alright Hermione. Every thing will turn out alright."

"Oh, Draco! How can you say that? The most evil person on the planet is back and how are we supposed to stop him?" Hermione said, tears now trailing down her face. Draco struggled with something to say that would soothe her but decided on telling her the truth instead, she'd prefer that.

"I don't know how we are supposed to stop him, but if it's in my power to help, then I will. I know that I will try to stop him to the best of my abilities. And you don't need to worry so much; we have Dumbledore on our side. Everyone knows that Voldemort was scared of Dumbledore, and you know that! I've bet you've read it in _Hogwarts, A History_ millions of times!"

"You know, it never did mention Dumbldore…" Hermione said, her tears somewhat stopped from the sort of subject change.

"Well see, you learn something new everyday!" Draco said in an attempt to bring Hermione back to her normal self. It sort of worked and she gave out a small giggle.

"Thank you so much," Hermione said and bent over to kiss him on the lips for a chaste kiss then stood up. "I'm off to bed, wait for me in the morning?"

"I will do, goodnight," Draco said and stood up as well, giving her a kiss back.

"Goodnight."

Next morning

Hermione P.O.V

It took Hermione longer than usual to get up and out of bed. She did so slowly, the events of yesterday stemmed for the moment, but soon enough the events came over her head in a crashing wave. It made her dizzy and she lay back down quickly. She took her time getting out of bed then going to the bathroom to take a quick shower and put some mascara on.

By the time that she made it downstairs where the common room was, most everyone was already at breakfast. The only people down there were Parkinson and her small group of friends, Blaise and Draco.

"Good morning beautiful," Draco said as she came over to him and Blaise. She smiled in thanks.

"Good morning boys." Hermione said.

"Morning, though I wouldn't say good." Blaise said looking somewhat downcast. Hermione nodded, agreeing to what he was saying.

"Shall we go to breakfast?" Draco asked and Hermione nodded, famished already. They started to walk, Draco and Hermione hand in hand while Blaise was on Draco's right, when Draco whispered, "Remember, we have a walk planned, hopefully after breakfast?"

"We will go for a walk after breakfast if there is no classes today, otherwise we will be going to classes, then for a walk." Hermione said in a normal tone of voice. They made it to the Great Hall and for once, it was very subdued. Hermione, instead of going to the Slytherin table, went straight towards the Gryffindor table pulling her boyfriend and friend behind her as she went.

"Harry are you alright?" Hermione asked first thing when she went over there. The whole lot of Weasleys surrounded him, and of course Lee and Lavender.

"Yeah, except for this lot. They seem to want to know every detail even though I have already told them all I could." Harry said, though there was no bitterness in his voice, only tiredness.

"I understand. Should we sit with you today?"

"If you'd like. But I know that Dumbledore is going to make a speech so you had better choose quickly." Harry said indicating that Dumbledore was starting to stand up. Hermione sat on the bench opposite Harry and Draco sat next to them, Blaise when over to the Slytherin table to sit with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Today we acknowledge a really terrible loss. Cedric Diggory was, as you all know, exceptionally hard working, infinitely fair-minded, and most importantly, a fierce, fierce friend. Therefore, I feel you have the right to know exactly how he died. You see, Cedric Diggory was murdered, by Lord Voldemort. The Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you this. But not to do so I feel would be an insult to his memory. Now the pain we all feel at this dreadful loss reminds me, and, reminds us, that though we may come from different countries and speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one. In light of the recent events, the bonds of friendship made this year will be more important than ever. Remember that, and Cedric Diggory will not have died in vain. You remember that, and we'll celebrate a boy who was kind, and honest, and brave, and true. Right to the very end. " **(A/N: The italics are not my words, I found them on the Internet when I searched the speech from Goblet of Fire. I tried to find the one from the book but I think that this might be the movie speech.) **The whole Great Hall was silent as Professor Dumbledore made his speech. There wasn't even one outbreak during the entire thing. Dumbldore nodded at everyone then sat back down, his part done.

"Wow. Good thing we're showing inter-house unity already or Dumbldore might have done something drastic." Hermione heard Ron say to Lavender who promptly hit his arm with a scowl on her face. That brought a rather pleasant smirk to her face.

"Poor Cedric." Hermione heard Ginny say, and then everyone started to agree. Soon the group broke up into smaller groups.

"Lets go for a walk now Hermione, I don't think that there will be any classes today." Draco said and Hermione nodded. They walked out of the Great Hall and through the Grand Entrance out to the grounds. They started walking towards the lake and near there a tree for which to sit and enjoy the shade in. Despite the gloom that was settled over the school, the day was a bright and sunny one.

"Hermione, I need to talk to you." Draco said with his face very serious. Hermione's heart flittered at the possibilities that could bring such seriousness to Draco's face. Her first thought was that he was breaking up with her, and she voiced that.

"Are you breaking up with me Draco?" Hermione asked, her voice small.

"Of course not! I wanted to talk to you about something else, something much more important," He took a deep breath while Hermione seemed to hold her breath, waiting to see what it was that he wanted to say, "I love you."

That was it.

That was the world.

Hermione found a small smile playing on her lips. But then she saw that Draco was waiting to see what her reaction was. She looked off into the clouds for a moment, then looked back at Draco. She threw her arms around him and kissed him then moved her lips to his ears and whispered, "I've been waiting for you to say that for years. I love you too Draco Malfoy."

Finito

A/N: Well it looks like the end of 'On the Other Hand'. Please review and tell me what you thought and if I should continue with a sequel! Thank you for all the loving reviews! (:


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